Former Glee star Kevin McHale called out Dean Cain for voicing his intentions to join the United States’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement department.
“Look, I know the entertainment business is in shambles, but imagine being so out of work and desperate for attention (I would know) that you join ICE?” McHale, 37, wrote via X on Thursday, August 7. “F***ing pathetic loser.”
Cain, 59, announced his plans earlier this week to seek employment in the ICE department. (Cain is best known for his roles in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Supergirl and a slate of Hallmark movies.)
“For those who don’t know, I am a sworn law enforcement officer, as well as being a filmmaker. I felt it was important to join with our first responders to help secure the safety of all Americans,” Cain said in a Tuesday, August 5, Instagram video. “Not just talk about it — so I joined up. Here’s your opportunity to join ICE.”
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He added, “If you want to help save America, ICE is arresting the worst of the worst and removing them from America’s streets. I like that, I voted for that. They need your help to protect our homeland and our families.”
Cain further encouraged his social media followers to “check into” the organization and join “if it’s something that tickles your fancy.”
Cain’s video quickly drew backlash from many social media users, including fellow actors.
“Shame on you,” Dynasty alum Ana Brenda Contreras replied in the comments section.
Hugo Catalán, for his part, succinctly added, “When your acting career crumbles…”
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While Cain has not addressed the controversy, he remains committed to joining the team.
“Our ICE agents, who are amazing men and women, are incredible. And they’re Black, and they are brown and green and yellow and Japanese and whatever. They’re a cross-section of Americans,” Cain told Fox News on Thursday. “They are doing their job, the job that Congress wrote the laws for them to support and uphold, and they’re doing the job of deporting people who are here illegally.”
He added, “If you’re a legal citizen here in this country, no worries, you’re great, but if you’re here illegally, you’ve broken the law to begin with, whatever the circumstances are. You had multiple opportunities to self-deport, and the fact that these men and women who are doing their jobs are getting vilified, I had to stand up with them and for them because I think it takes people standing up to change the culture.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security later said in a statement to the Associated Press that Cain will be sworn in as an “honorary ICE Officer” later this month.
