By Katherine Tinsley
2:20am PDT, Mar 29, 2025
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The White House is under fire after the official X account shared images of
Virginia Basora-Gonzalez being detained in Philadelphia, Pa.
Keep reading for the details…
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"Virginia Basora-Gonzalez, a previously deported alien felon convicted of fentanyl trafficking, was arrested by @ICEgov," the White House wrote in an X post on Tuesday, March 18.
"In Philadelphia, after illegally reentering the U.S. She wept when taken into custody," they added.
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The White House also shared a link to additional information about Virginia Basora-Gonzalez's arrest.
"The apprehension of Virginia Basora-Gonzalez demonstrates our commitment to protecting our communities from criminal aliens who engage in serious illegal activities that pose a threat to public safety," ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Brian McShane said in a statement.
"This successful joint operation exemplifies the collaborative efforts of federal law enforcement agencies to enforce our nation's immigration laws and remove dangerous individuals from our streets," he added.
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In the White House's initial post, followers were excited to see someone with a criminal record removed from the U.S.
"Well she sure as h*** didn't sneak in," one person wrote, as many Americans continue to question the country's vetting process for migrants.
"Lock her up," another added.
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Despite the positive reactions to the initial post, the White House later turned the moment into a meme inspired by Hayao Miyazaki's animation style.
"The White House Twitter is officially a parody account," one person replied.
"It's one thing to go after criminals, it's another to make a show of and delight in the sadness and suffering of others," another wrote. "You're sociopaths and you belong in prison."
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Critics pointed out how insensitive it was for the White House's official X account to mock someone being deported.
"God, this entire country has become a meme. We really are Idiocracy," one user penned.
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Meanwhile, another person claimed the White House's artwork was disrespectful to the Japanese filmmaker who popularized the animation style.
"Using Hayao Miyazaki's art style to portray the sadness of someone in this position goes against everything it stands for — especially the idea of ambiguity in both good and evil people," they said.
"You can't look at this picture or individual in a black-and-white sense; you have to see the nuance," the disappointed user continued. "This is the most out-of-touch administration in our modern history."
