NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 05: Dean Cain speaks onstage at the Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman 25th Anniversary Reunion panel during New York Comic Con 2018 at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on October 5, 2018 in New York City. …
OAKLAND, Calif. - "Superman" actor Dean Cain announced Tuesday that he has joined U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to back President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
Cain's message
What they're saying:
Cain, 59, who played the Man of Steel in the 1990s TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, shared on social media that he joined ICE to "help save America," and encouraged others to follow suit.
"For those who don't know, I am a sworn law enforcement officer, as well as being a filmmaker, and I felt it was important to join with our first responders to help secure the safety of all Americans, not just talk about it," the 59-year-old said. "So, I joined up."
Cain also lauded the agency’s pay and benefits, which include a $50,000 signing bonus and student loan repayment programs.
"So, if you want to help save America, ICE is arresting the worst of the worst and removing them from America's streets," said Cain. "They need your help. We need your help, to protect our homeland and our families."
Reactions to Cain’s announcement were mixed on social media.
"Superman himself would be disappointed in you Dean," wrote an X user.
"Thank you for your service. You put everything you have on the line for America," wrote another.
Cain nor his representatives have confirmed whether this is a recruitment strategy or if he actually signed up to work for ICE.
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ICE recruitment
What we know:
ICE is central to Trump’s mass deportation plans. Earlier this summer, Congress passed a spending bill that allows ICE to hire 10,000 additional staff members.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Tuesday that ICE has lifted its age cap to help lure in applicants.
Noem said on Fox & Friends that the agency had already received 80,000 applications as of Tuesday.
New hires include deportation officers tasked with tracking down, arresting and removing people deemed no longer eligible to remain in the U.S.
Under the Republican president, those officers are high-profile roles — making arrests at immigration courts, in the streets and at businesses. They often are criticized by immigration activists and Democratic lawmakers for wearing masks while carrying out their duties.
The government is also seeking criminal investigators and attorneys to prosecute immigration cases.