Celebrities Call for Closure of Dilley Detention Center

Over 215,000 sign petition demanding the 'immediate closure' of the prison-like facility used to hold children and families following ICE raids.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 8:34pm

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A cinematic painting of a solitary child sitting on a bench in an empty, dimly lit hallway, the figure bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conveying a sense of isolation and despair.The haunting image of a child alone in a detention center hallway reflects the trauma and neglect endured by minors held in immigration facilities.Dilley Today

A group of high-profile celebrities, artists, and activists, including Jodie Foster, Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, and Edward Norton, have joined a growing call for the closure of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas. The facility, operated by private prison company CoreCivic, has faced mounting scrutiny over unsafe conditions, medical neglect, and alleged abuse of detainees, particularly children. The letter signed by the celebrities demands the federal government take action to shutter the detention center, stating 'Children belong in schools and on playgrounds, not in detention centers.'

Why it matters

The Dilley Detention Center has become a symbol of the ongoing controversy over the treatment of immigrant families and children in U.S. custody. As public outrage over ICE's practices continues to grow, the involvement of prominent figures from the entertainment industry is seen as adding significant momentum to the push for the facility's closure and broader reform of the immigration detention system.

The details

The letter calling for the closure of the Dilley Detention Center has now been signed by over 215,000 people, including a wide range of celebrities, artists, activists, physicians, and organizations. In addition to Jodie Foster, Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, and Edward Norton, the signatories include Janelle Monáe, Joan Baez, Quinta Brunson, Jessica Alba, Lucy Dacus, Ava DuVernay, Tatiana Maslany, and Alyssa Milano. The letter condemns the 'trauma, neglect and conditions that violate basic standards of health, safety, dignity and human rights' experienced by children held at the facility, citing issues such as lack of clean water, contaminated food, medical neglect, and separation from families.

  • The letter was first announced in late March 2026.
  • As of April 8, 2026, the letter has been signed by over 215,000 people.

The players

Dilley Immigration Processing Center

A detention facility in Dilley, Texas used to hold children and families following ICE raids, which has faced widespread criticism over unsafe conditions and alleged abuse of detainees.

CoreCivic

The private prison company that operates the Dilley Detention Center.

Carly Pérez Fernández

Communications director at Detention Watch Network and member of the National Coalition to End Child and Family Detention.

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What they’re saying

“Children held in immigration detention endure trauma, neglect and conditions that violate basic standards of health, safety, dignity and human rights.”

— Carly Pérez Fernández, Communications director at Detention Watch Network and member of the National Coalition to End Child and Family Detention

What’s next

The letter's signatories are calling on the federal government and CoreCivic to take immediate action to close the Dilley Detention Center.

The takeaway

The involvement of high-profile celebrities in the push to shut down the Dilley Detention Center underscores the growing public outrage over the treatment of immigrant families and children in U.S. custody. This latest development adds significant momentum to the broader movement for reform of the immigration detention system.