The U.S. Department of Homeland Security shared video highlights of Philadelphia Eagles legend Brian Dawkins in a social media post about a purported caravan of immigrants approaching the southern border. But Dawkins said he never approved it, and the NFL has asked the DHS to take it down.
The video, posted Sunday, shows Dawkins's pregame walkout as he chants "The time has come," followed by a series of big hits from his Eagles career. The DHS captions the post "Our time has come."
The DHS quote-tweeted a post from Leading Report — a website with a documented history of spreading false information — claiming that a "Huge migrant caravan" is heading toward the U.S. border.
On Monday, Dawkins said he did not give the government permission to share his name, image and likeness.
The NFL has asked the DHS to take down the video, a league spokesperson told The Associated Press.
The DHS released a statement to the AP saying U.S. Border Patrol "is actively tracking" a group of migrants coming from Honduras and the department is playing "lockdown defense." at the border. The statement did not address the NFL's request to take down the video, which hasn't been deleted as of Tuesday morning.
A caravan with an estimated 400 to 600 people has been moving through Mexico, according to Houston news outlet Chron. It is reportedly made up of migrants from Honduras, El Salvador, Haiti, Ecuador and Guatemala.
José Zelaya, a Honduran traveling with seven relatives, said the group is driven by hunger and need.
"I want to reach the United States," Zelaya told EFE, a Spanish-language news outlet.
Dawkins was a nine-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro safety when he retired in 2011. The Pro Football Hall of Famer competed with the Eagles from 1996-2008 before finishing his playing career with the Denver Broncos.
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