Showbiz

Celebrities Demand Closure of Texas ICE Detention Center

Madonna, Pedro Pascal and Keke Palmer were among the many stars who signed a petition demanding the 'immediate closure' of the ICE detention center in Texas.A l...

Celebrities Demand Closure of Texas ICE Detention Center
BN

Bintano News

March 31, 2026

Advertisement

, and were among the many stars who signed a petition demanding the 'immediate closure' of the ICE detention center in .

A long list of people inside and outside of Hollywood signed a letter calling for systemic reform of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center on Monday.

They urged for closure of the prison-like facility used to hold individuals, children and families following ICE raids across America. 

The published letter, which is open for public signatures on Change.org, criticized the federal government and private prison operator CoreCivic.

Among dozens of signatures on the list were actors, musicians and filmmakers in the entertainment industry — and also in many other fields, including many in the medical field.

As many stars have been using their platforms to speak out on political issues, one of them is Pascal, 50, who was also .

Madonna and Pedro Pascal were among the many A-list stars who signed a new petition condemning ICE; pictured in May 2025

They co-signed a letter demanding the 'immediate closure' of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas (detainees pictured at the center in January)

Joining the A-list stars calling attention to the issue and advocating for reform of the facility were , Mark Ruffalo, , Elliot Paige, and Hannah Einbinder. 

Brandi Carlile, Wunmi Mosaku, Glennon Doyle, Hasan Minhaj and Katie Couric were some of the many notable names on the list. 

Advertisement

While the list continues growing, the following stars have also already signed the petition: Kesha, Lena Dunham, Lance Bass, Maggie Gyllenhaal and her husband Peter Sarsgaard.

The multitalented Keke Palmer (pictured March 15) was among those supporting the cause as well

John Legend (pictured) also joined in the list. The petition urges the closure of the prison-like facility used to hold individuals, children and families following ICE raids across America 

Jane Fonda - famous for her activism - was also among the dozens of stars who signed the petition; She is seen March 27

Kesha also signed the petition, which had over a total of 15,000 signatures on Monday night; pictured in February

'Children belong in schools and on playgrounds, not in detention centers.' 

The letter continued: 'We urge the federal government and CoreCivic to close the Dilley facility immediately, return children and families to the homes and communities they were taken from and to end child imprisonment now.

'Our commitment does not end with closure,' it read. 

'We demand transparency, accountability, and systemic reforms to prevent these abuses from happening anywhere in the United States.'

Multiple reports have been released prior to the publication of the letter, citing unsafe conditions within the detention center. 

Advertisement

Incidents listed include recent measles outbreaks, contaminated water, dangerously inadequate medical care and severe mistreatment of detainees as well as illegal imprisonment. 

The facility became widely known after ICE agents arrested five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos alongside his father in Minneapolis amid controversial ICE raids. 

At the time, images taken of Ramos by a photographer were posted online and went viral as it showed the young child being taken into custody while wearing a blue bunny hat and a Spider-Man backpack. 

Advertisement