Actor Pedro Pascal has called for justice following the deaths of nine individuals linked to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations since early 2026. Using his platform to highlight these fatalities, Pascal emphasized the urgent need for accountability amid rising concerns over ICE’s detention practices.
Details Behind the Nine Fatalities
The nine people whose deaths Pascal spotlighted suffered under varied and tragic circumstances. Among them was Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse from Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, who was shot by Border Patrol agents during a protest on January 24. His family remembers him as a compassionate caregiver devoted to American veterans.
Renee Good, also 37 and a mother to three children, died on January 7 in Minneapolis after ICE agents surrounded her vehicle and shot her as she tried to drive away. Another victim, Keith Porter, aged 43, was fatally shot on New Year’s Eve in Los Angeles by an off-duty ICE agent. While the Department of Homeland Security initially labeled Porter an “active shooter,” his family disputes this, claiming he was merely firing celebratory gunshots.
The remaining six fatalities occurred within ICE detention centers. Notably, Geraldo Lunas Campos, 55, died in Texas from asphyxia caused by neck and torso compression, a death ruled homicide by the El Paso County medical examiner. The others died under circumstances that have raised serious concerns about conditions inside these facilities.
Rising Death Toll Raises Questions on Detention Conditions
The loss of these lives is part of a wider crisis within the ICE detention system. According to Detention Watch Network, 31 people died while in custody throughout 2025, marking the deadliest year since 2004. Early 2026 saw four additional deaths occur in detention centers across Texas, California, and Pennsylvania in just ten days.
The detained adult population has nearly doubled in recent years, reaching over 68,000 by the end of December 2025, according to ICE figures, up from around 36,000 in December 2023. Advocates attribute this growth and mortality rate to the policies enacted under the Trump administration, which significantly expanded the detention system.
Setareh Ghandehari, Advocacy Director at Detention Watch Network, stressed,
“Under the Trump administration’s massive expansion of the detention system, loss of life in ICE custody is truly staggering.”
Pedro Pascal’s Personal Connection and Public Advocacy
Pascal’s call for justice stems from his own immigrant background. Born in Santiago, Chile, in 1975, he fled the Pinochet regime as an infant when his family sought refuge. After initially finding asylum in Denmark, they eventually settled in the United States. Pascal shared at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025,
“I am an immigrant. My parents are refugees from Chile. We fled a dictatorship. I stand by those protections, always.”
@galatinofilmilia@Pedro Pascal speaks at Cannes: “I want people to be safe and protected. I want to live on the right side of history. I am an immigrant. My parents are refugees from Chile. We fled a dictatorship and I was privileged enough to grow up in the United States after asylum in Denmark. I stand by those protections, always.” #variety #somosGALFA #GALIFF2025 #latinocreativesmatter #latinoinfilmatl #latinosbelike #latinosinhollywood #latinosinmiami #Georgialatinofilm ♬ original sound – GeorgiaLatinoFilmAlliance
His outspoken stance has helped motivate others in Hollywood to voice opposition to ICE policies. Billie Eilish challenged fellow celebrities to take a stand, asking,
“Hey my fellow celebrities u gonna speak up?”
At the Sundance Film Festival, actresses Natalie Portman and Olivia Wilde visibly protested by wearing “ICE Out” pins, with Wilde telling Variety,
“People are being murdered. It’s hideous.”
Meanwhile, Jamie Lee Curtis brought attention to the issue by posting images captioned,
“These were Americans! Shot by our government!”
Families Demand Answers as Uncertainty Lingers
For the families of those who died, unanswered questions remain about how their loved ones lost their lives. Yorlan Diaz, brother of Victor Manuel Diaz, voiced his disbelief over official accounts, telling ABC News,
“I don’t believe he took his life. He was not a criminal; he was looking for a better life.”
Pascal’s message to those affected and others fighting for justice was unwavering:
“Fear is the way they win. Keep fighting to be who you are.”
Billie Eilish shares new Instagram stories regarding ICE:
“hey my fellow celebrities u gonna speak up? or” pic.twitter.com/8qjBsh0l3y
— Pop Base (@PopBase) January 26, 2026
