Claim:
Images authentically depict Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent balloons chasing a balloon of children’s cartoon character Dora the Explorer during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 27, 2025.
Rating:
Following the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Nov. 27, 2025, posts containing images that appeared to depict balloons of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents chasing a balloon of cartoon character Dora — the star of the children’s Spanish language-learning show “Dora the Explorer” — gained traction online.
The images spread on multiple platforms, including Facebook (archived), Instagram (archived) and X (archived). The earliest version of such an image we found was in a Nov. 27 Reddit post (archived):
In a truly unexpected turn of events, spectators at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade were treated to a live-action pursuit as the beloved Dora the Explorer balloon appeared to be making a hasty retreat from a fleet of what eyewitnesses described as ‘highly motivated, slightly deflated’ ICE agent balloons. When asked for comment, a spokesperson for Nickelodeon simply stated, ‘Dora is always exploring new routes.’ Sources close to the parade committee suggest the ICE balloons may have simply been trying to ask Dora for directions to the nearest hot dog stand, but communication was lost somewhere over Herald Square. #MacyParade #DoraTheExplorer #ThanksgivingChaos
Breaking News: Dora The Explorer Balloon Leads ICE Agent Balloons on low-altitude chase Down 6th Avenue.
byu/Rastrick inPoliticalMemes
This image was generated with artificial intelligence. A Google reverse image search revealed only related posts, and a Google search of the keywords “Dora and ICE agents Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2025” revealed only similar AI-generated images or legitimate news related to an actual Dora balloon featured in the Macy’s parade. No credible reports described ICE agent balloons chasing a Dora balloon.
AI-detection software Hive found the image to be 100% AI-generated. (Software used to detect AI-generated content is not always accurate, and its results should be considered with caution.) The image also contained visual evidence of AI-generation; for example, Dora’s left hand had only four fingers.
Following this Reddit post, versions of the same claim with slight variations spread online. One image showed three officers behind the Dora balloon instead of two, another depicted only one officer and in another, the user may have digitally edited a real image so an ICE officer balloon appeared behind the image of the authentic Dora balloon.
Authentic Getty images show there was a Dora balloon featured in the 2025 Macy’s parade, though characters from the cartoon “SpongeBob SquarePants” followed the Dora balloon — not ICE agents.
(Getty Images)
In sum, there was no evidence the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade featured ICE agent balloons chasing a Dora balloon. The images widely circulated display evidence of AI-generation, and no credible reports indicated the events unfolded as described.
We reached out to Macy’s seeking comment on the images circulating online and will update this story if we receive a response.
