Morgan Weistling calls out DHS for using painting without permission

Christian artist Morgan Weistling has publicly condemned the Department of Homeland Security for allegedly using his painting "A Prayer for a New Life" without permission in a social media post that retitled the artwork as "Homeland's Heritage" with the caption "Remember your Homeland's Heritage. New Life in a New Land."

Morgan Weistling's Original Artwork

"A Prayer for a New Life" is a poignant painting by award-winning oil painter and illustrator Morgan Weistling that depicts a pioneer family scene, celebrating the value of life despite the challenges faced by families journeying through the American West. The artwork showcases Weistling's Christian faith and artistic philosophy, as he has stated, "Every painting I do, I pray God helps me. So my faith in the future is set in hoping that I continue to let Him use my hands."focusonthefamily+1

The painting is available as a special edition giclée print through Focus on the Family, measuring 16" x 20" and signed by the artist. Each print comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and is shipped flat, ready for framing. The artwork has also been adapted into other products, including a limited edition jigsaw puzzle featuring the pioneer scene, designed for puzzle enthusiasts of all skill levels.focusonthefamily+1

DHS Unauthorized Appropriation

Weistling was apparently on vacation when he discovered the DHS had posted his artwork across their social media platforms without permission or proper attribution. In a now-deleted Instagram post, the artist expressed his dismay: "I DID NOT GIVE PERMISSION AND DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE DHS USING MY PAINTING IN A POST YESTERDAY ON ALL THEIR PLATFORMS. IT IS A VIOLATION OF MY COPYRIGHT ON THE PAINTING AND I AM LOOKING INTO WHAT TO DO NEXT." He further noted his amazement that a government agency would "randomly post an artist's painting without permission" and even change its title.meidasnews

This wasn't DHS's first instance of artwork appropriation under Secretary Kristi Noem's leadership. Earlier in the same month, the department had reportedly used a painting by the late artist Thomas Kinkade without authorization. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, prominently mentioned on Weistling's official website, explicitly prohibits such unauthorized use of copyrighted materials, categorizing it as a potential felony.newrepublic+1

Renaming 'A Prayer for New Life'

The renaming of Morgan Weistling's artwork has sparked significant controversy across social media platforms. Multiple users have pointed out that the Department of Homeland Security not only used the painting without permission but also changed its original title "A Prayer for a New Life" to "New Life in a New Land" in their posts. This alteration has been criticized by many observers, with some suggesting the title change deliberately obscured the religious element of the original work.bsky+5

The modified title appeared consistently across various platforms, with community notes and readers on Twitter (now X) repeatedly adding context to correct the misrepresentation. As one commentator noted on Substack, "It uses a painting by Morgan Weistling that the White House captions as 'New Life in a New Land' but is actually titled 'A Prayer for a New Life'…" The removal of the prayer reference from the title has been interpreted by some critics as an attempt to secularize the artwork's meaning while co-opting its immigrant narrative for political messaging.twitter+3