'They walk among us': Trump administration unveils alien-themed deportation website
What's the story
The White House has launched a controversial new website, using a sci-fi-themed presentation to highlight immigration arrests and promote the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda. The site, unveiled on Thursday, employs the imagery and language of extraterrestrial conspiracy culture while referring to undocumented immigrants as "aliens." The term is derived from US immigration law but has been widely criticized by opponents as inflammatory and dehumanizing.
Design details
Website mimics 'Star Wars' films' opening crawl
The website's design mimics the opening crawl of the Star Wars films, welcoming visitors with animated text set against a starry background and space-themed graphics. The site combines references to UFO lore with immigration enforcement statistics. It opens with the phrase "They walk among us," before claiming that "aliens" have been living in American communities for decades.
User engagement
Immigration arrest data across US
The website features a live-style counter displaying over 3.1 million "encounters," though it doesn't specify the timeframe for this number. It also has an interactive heat map showing immigration arrest data across the US, sourced from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Users can search by city or state to view arrest totals, countries of origin of detainees, and alleged criminal charges or suspected gang affiliations related to those arrested.
Reporting feature
Website links to ICE's online reporting system
The website also links directly to ICE's online reporting system, encouraging users to submit tips about what the White House calls "suspicious aliens." This move is part of the administration's increasingly aggressive rhetorical approach to immigration enforcement as President Donald Trump continues prioritizing border security and deportation operations. The term "alien" has been defended by the administration, citing its long-standing legal definition under the Immigration and Nationality Act for non-citizens living in America.
Public interest
Speculation about UFO government documents release
The launch of this website comes after months of online speculation, with the White House quietly registering the domains "Alien.gov" and "Aliens.gov" earlier this year. Some observers thought these domains could be linked to Trump's promise to release more government documents on UFOs and unidentified anomalous phenomena. The interest grew when the administration shared teaser content on social media featuring imagery associated with extraterrestrial culture, including crop circles and searchlights scanning the night sky.