After several celebrities said TikTok was limiting their videos about ICE, comedian Meg Stalter announced she was deleting her account, claiming the platform’s new ownership was blocking her from uploading posts critical of the agency.
Stalter, known for her breakout role in “Hacks,” told her Instagram followers on Sunday night that TikTok “is under new ownership and we are being completely censored and monitored.” She said she was “unable to upload anything” about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which she referred to with an ice cube emoji, “even after I tried to trick the page by making it look like a comedy video.”
Other public figures like musician Finneas have also reported posts critical of ICE showing zero views or being suppressed, saying their content appeared “shadowbanned.” The accusations have circulated as tensions flare nationally over federal immigration enforcement actions and highly publicized shootings by federal agents.
TikTok’s leadership disputed claims that the platform was censoring content. In a statement on its new X account on Monday, the TikTok USDS Joint Venture said it was dealing with a power outage at a U.S. data center that had affected service and “working with our data center partner to stabilize our service.” Searches for the keyword “ICE” on the app continue to show critical content, according to reports.
The controversy comes amid widespread outrage over the shooting death of a Minneapolis resident, Alex Pretti, by federal immigration agents on January 24 during protests against ICE operations. Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse with no criminal record and a lawful gun permit, was killed in Minneapolis, sparking large demonstrations and demands for federal agents to leave the city.
Public scrutiny has also intensified surrounding the earlier killing of Renée Good by an ICE agent on January 7, raising further debate about federal immigration enforcement tactics and accountability.
