The band Semisonic has strongly criticized the Trump administration for using their hit song Closing Time in a controversial deportation video shared on social media. The video, posted on the official White House and Border Patrol Instagram accounts, showed agents searching for and deporting undocumented immigrants. It was set to the band's 1998 track, with a caption quoting the lyrics: "You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here."

In response, Semisonic issued a statement to DailyMail.com, making it clear that they never approved the use of their song. They expressed frustration, saying, "We did not authorize or condone the White House’s use of our song in any way. And no, they didn’t ask." The band also emphasized that the song was meant to convey hope and new possibilities, not be associated with deportation. "They have missed the point entirely," they added.

The song’s writer and frontman, Dan Wilson, had previously explained the inspiration behind Closing Time. While it was initially written as a closing anthem for the band's live performances, Wilson later realized the lyrics also reflected the experience of birth—a hidden meaning that many listeners never caught on to. In a 2018 interview with Billboard, he shared that the song was partly influenced by the birth of his daughter, Coco.

Over the years, Wilson has gone on to achieve success as a songwriter beyond Semisonic. He co-wrote Adele’s Grammy-winning hit Someone Like You in 2011 and has worked with various artists. Meanwhile, Closing Time remains an iconic ’90s hit, topping the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and making its way into the Top 50 in several countries, including Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Instagram/Semisonic.