Kristi Noem is gone. But President Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security is still under fire months after her exit.
This time, DHS has stirred the pot after linking an NFL player to the administration’s hardline immigration policies. More than a year after his sit-down with Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, the Trump administration seems to have set off another firestorm.
This time, they dragged the Eagles alum into the online clash — and now the league is demanding action.
As the midterm elections approach, polls show Trump and the Republican Party could be facing heavy congressional losses this year. The GOP decided to dip back into its typical anti-immigrant playbook in hopes of turning the political tide.
Conservative outlets began playing on voters’ unease about immigration by warning of a so-called “migrant caravan.” Republicans implemented that fear-mongering tactic in previous election cycles.
On Sept. 27, DHS highlighted a report of migrants supposedly headed toward America’s southern border.
The federal agency also highlighted parts of Brian “Weapon X” Dawkins’ career as a Philadelphia Eagle. The footage featured Dawkins making brutal tackles, set to Korn’s 1994 hit “Blind” as the hype video’s soundtrack.
“Our time has come,” read the tweet’s caption.
According to reports, the NFL has requested DHS to remove the post as soon as possible.
Dawkins, the nine-time Pro Bowler retired in 2012 after 16 seasons, told ESPN that he never gave permission for this post.
He responded further in a video on X, stating, “I have respectfully not given permission to anyone other than those I currently do business with to use my [name, image, and likeness]. Be Blessed!”
“Let’s be clear. I didn’t give permisison for my name, image and likenes to be used by anybody. Anybody,” he continued. “Take a deep breath, take a deep breath. Y”all be blessed.”
NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy also rejected Homeland Security’s use of Dawkins as anti-immigration propaganda. McCarthy told Forbes, “We requested DHS take down the video.”
Homeland Security chose not to back down.
“DHS is playing lockdown defense at the border,” DHS responded in a statement. “We will use every Weapon at our disposal, from A to X, to keep Americans safe.”
As news of the NFL bucking DHS spread across the internet, social media users weighed in on the latest example of the Trump administration getting called out for posting unauthorized content.
“They can tell him, but I doubt that he will. He gets away with whatever he wants,” one Trump critic on Threads expressed.
Similarly, someone wrote, “This Boomer administration doesn’t care about us. They’ll do whatever the f**k they want. I’m so tired.”
“Just destroying everybody’s brand. SMH!” exclaimed another poster. While yet another demanded, “Take it down, Trump.”
In addition, a commenter hinted that Trump should face legal action in a post that read, “Dawkins and the NFL should clean him out.”
The Eagles played against the Chicago Bears on Monday night. That nationally televised game took place one day before the DHS shared the Dawkins video.
Chicago routed Philadelphia. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw one interception, while running back Saquon Barkley totaled 82 rushing yards in the team’s 27-7 defeat.
The president is an avid golfer and a fan of other sports. However, many fans do not want his name attached to their favorite team or players.
Talk of the “Trump curse” resurfaced after the Eagles’ loss. Previously, New York Knicks supporters blamed the MAGA boss for the squad taking an “L” in Game 3 of this year’s NBA Finals.
“His jinx ability should be studied. He jinxed the New York [Knicks] game he attended, too. Bad luck Donald,” one Threads user suggested.
Trump came under fire in 2025 for his association with Barkley, 29. The two men golfed together at the president’s Bedminster course that April. Chummy photos of them went viral then.
By the end of the season, Barkley’s production dipped significantly from his MVP-caliber output in 2025. Plus, the No. 6-seeded San Francisco 49ers upset the third-seeded Eagles in the playoffs.
Trump’s history with the NFL has been complicated. The real estate mogul pursued NFL ownership before buying the New Jersey Generals of the now-defunct United States Football League in 1983.
His relationship with the NFL later became contentious as he pushed the USFL to compete directly with the league and helped lead an antitrust lawsuit against it.
According to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Trump issued a warning during his failed 2014 bid to buy the Buffalo Bills: hand over the team or face a presidential run.
“Trump said to me, quote, ‘If them MF stand in my way and prevent me from getting ownership of the Buffalo Bills’ — talking about the league owners — ‘I’m gonna get them all back. I’m gonna run for president,’” Smith, stated.
Trump later admitted that winning the Bills ownership bid likely would have kept him out of the 2016 presidential race.
Our time has come. https://t.co/Ygzy6Qfni3 pic.twitter.com/xNFNRkAaTq
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 27, 2026
