The White House launched Aliens.gov after a teaser on X that sparked UFO chatter. The site presents a counter claiming 3,129,580 “encounters,” a figure hand‑typed into the code. Visitors hear the X‑Files theme, masked by autoplay blocks, while the page maps over 3,000 locations with alleged immigration offenses. The data claims 700 US citizens were arrested, a claim the White House later updated.

Data pulls from DHS, initially including non‑immigration HSI arrests. After WIRED’s audit, 270,214 arrests were removed, leaving a list that still labels 1,082 sites, including Chicago and Minneapolis, with “Public Peace” crimes. Puerto Rico appears as a foreign country, while some entries map to a prison address, underscoring the site’s theatrical tone. The presentation mocks immigration enforcement while misrepresenting legal data to public.

The White House’s effort mirrors Trump’s past claims that ICE targets only the worst, yet watchdog reports show a surge in arrests without convictions. By feeding fabricated counts and copyrighted music without clearance, the site risks legal backlash and erodes public trust. The launch ends with a stark reminder that political narratives can distort data for effect in policy analysis.