Celebrities Call for Closure of Notorious ICE Detention Center

Madonna, Maren Morris, Pedro Pascal, and dozens of others demand 'immediate closure' of Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 2:45am

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A realistic oil painting of a locked metal gate or barred window of an immigration detention facility, with warm sunlight casting deep shadows across the scene, conveying a sense of isolation and confinement.A somber, cinematic depiction of the harsh realities faced by children and families detained at the notorious Dilley Immigration Processing Center.Dilley Today

Hundreds of celebrities, including Madonna, Pedro Pascal, John Legend, and Maren Morris, have signed an open letter demanding the 'immediate closure' of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas. The letter cites reports of dehumanizing conditions at the facility, which has held hundreds of children, teenagers, and their parents, and calls on the federal government and private prison operator CoreCivic to 'return children and families to the homes and communities they were taken from and to end child imprisonment now.'

Why it matters

The Dilley Immigration Processing Center has faced mounting scrutiny over its treatment of detained children and families, with reports of abuse, neglect, and violations of basic human rights. The high-profile call for the facility's closure from dozens of celebrities and public figures aims to bring greater attention to the issue and pressure the government to take action.

The details

The open letter, which is open for public signatures on Change.org, has been signed by hundreds of celebrities, physicians, policy experts, and organizations. In addition to Madonna, Pedro Pascal, John Legend, and Maren Morris, the signatories include Jane Fonda, Keke Palmer, Lance Bass, Cynthia Nixon, Diego Luna, Mark Ruffalo, America Ferrera, Ben Stiller, Ramy Youssef, Riley Keough, and many others. The letter cites court filings that detail abuse against children at the facility, including refusals to provide clean water, rotten food, dangerous medical neglect, sleep deprivation, denial of legal counsel, family separations, and retaliation against families protesting the conditions.

  • The Dilley Immigration Processing Center was opened by the Obama administration in 2014.
  • The facility was closed by the Biden administration in 2024.
  • Last spring, the Trump administration's second term reopened the facility as part of a $45 billion immigration detention expansion.
  • Since the start of the second Trump administration, the number of children in ICE detention on a given day has jumped more than sixfold.

The players

Dilley Immigration Processing Center

A remote immigration detention facility in Texas that has faced mounting scrutiny over reports of dehumanizing conditions, including abuse, neglect, and violations of basic human rights against the hundreds of children, teenagers, and their parents held there.

CoreCivic

The private prison operator that runs the Dilley Immigration Processing Center.

Obama administration

Opened the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in 2014.

Biden administration

Closed the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in 2024.

Trump administration

Reopened the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in 2025 as part of a $45 billion immigration detention expansion.

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What’s next

The open letter is currently open for public signatures on Change.org, and the organizers are hoping to gather as many signatures as possible to put further pressure on the government and CoreCivic to close the Dilley Immigration Processing Center.

The takeaway

This high-profile call for the closure of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center from dozens of celebrities and public figures underscores the growing outrage over the treatment of detained immigrant children and families, and the urgent need for the government to address the human rights abuses occurring at such facilities.