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John Leguizamo to ICE Supporters: Don’t Come to My Shows
Actor and comedian John Leguizamo isn’t mincing words when it comes to supporters of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a blunt message delivered via Instagram, the 65-year-old star told those who back ICE to steer clear of his work.
Leguizamo posted a video on Wednesday, looking directly into the camera with a serious expression and declaring, “If you follow ICE, unfollow me.” He then expanded on his stance regarding the ongoing immigration crisis, adding, “Don’t come to my shows and don’t watch my movies.”
The video’s caption further solidified his message with the words, “Abolish ice!” The post quickly resonated, racking up nearly 300,000 likes within 10 hours and drawing supportive comments from fellow celebrities, including Brad Garrett of Everybody Loves Raymond fame, who simply wrote, “Me too!!!!”
Leguizamo’s strong statement comes amidst heightened public outcry over ICE’s enforcement actions, particularly following a crackdown in Minnesota and the controversial shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renée Good by agents. Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse, was killed on January 24 after allegedly attempting to intervene on behalf of a woman. While Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Border Patrol officials initially claimed Pretti “brandished” a firearm, bystander footage appears to show an agent removing his legally owned handgun moments before he was shot multiple times.
A long-time advocate for liberal causes and a frequent critic of former President Donald Trump, Leguizamo’s Instagram feed is currently filled with anti-ICE and anti-Trump administration reposts. He previously criticized actor Dean Cain in August after Cain shared a video claiming he had joined ICE.
Leguizamo is not alone among celebrities speaking out. Just days before his video, Natalie Portman became visibly emotional while discussing current ICE operations.
Portman, 44, attended the premiere of her film The Gallerist at the Sundance Film Festival, sporting an “ICE OUT” pin. The premiere coincided with the day Pretti was killed.
During a press conference, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem defended the agents’ actions, stating Pretti had “reacted violently” and questioned his decision to carry a legally owned weapon. She claimed he “impeded their law enforcement operations, attacked those officers, had a weapon on him and multiple, dozens of rounds of ammunition.”
Speaking to reporters, Portman expressed her distress, saying, “It’s such a horrible day, it’s been a horrible week. What is happening in our country is just on the scene.”
She added, “What Trump and Kristi Noem and ICE are doing to our citizens and undocumented people is outrageous and needs to end.” Other stars, including Mandy Moore and Ariana Grande, have also publicly condemned ICE’s actions.
Moore reposted a New York Times headline, writing, “We have eyeballs. We’ve seen the video.
They executed someone else. I’m not sure how this ends.
This is terrifying territory.” Grande shared a post from New York City mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, which read, “ICE terrorizes our cities.
ICE puts us all in danger. Abolish ICE.”
Pretti’s family released a statement describing his death as being caused by “murdering and cowardly thugs,” highlighting his “kindhearted soul” and that his “last thought and act was to protect a woman.” While the family blamed ICE, officials confirmed the shooting was carried out by Department of Homeland Security officers. Footage of the incident continues to spark debate and raise questions about the official narrative surrounding Pretti’s death.