A coalition of high-profile artists, including Madonna, Gracie Abrams, and John Legend, is demanding the immediate decommissioning of an ICE detention facility in Dilley, Texas. The group expressed their collective outrage in an open letter published Monday (March 30) via Change.org.
The appeal—which also features signatures from Billy Porter, Brandi Carlile, Darren Criss, Kesha, King Princess, and Sara Bareilles—centers on a singular, powerful premise: “No child should be locked in an immigration detention center.”
The signatories are calling for the total closure of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, citing systemic failures and the inherent trauma of family separation. According to the letter, children held within these facilities are subjected to “neglect and conditions that violate basic standards of health, safety, dignity, and human rights.”
The document further elaborates on the harrowing realities reported within the facility. Referencing previous court filings, the letter highlights allegations of medical negligence, sleep deprivation, and the distribution of contaminated or inedible food. It also points to reports of retaliation against families who attempt to protest their treatment.
“Children belong in schools and on playgrounds, not in detention centers,” the statement asserts, urging both CoreCivic and the federal government to release families back to their communities and permanently end the practice of child imprisonment.
At the time of reporting, the petition has already garnered over 4,000 signatures. The Dilley facility serves as a primary holding site for parents and children in ICE custody. This surge in celebrity activism comes as the current administration faces intense scrutiny over aggressive immigration enforcement, including mass raids and deportations.
This initiative is the latest in a series of public outcries from the entertainment industry. In recent months, stars like Olivia Rodrigo and Tyler, the Creator have condemned ICE operations in major cities, while other A-listers have spoken out against fatal incidents involving agency officers in the Midwest.
