Dean Cain, the actor best known for playing the Man of Steel on the 1990s television series “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” said this week he planned to become an officer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The actor’s move comes as the Trump administration carries out an aggressive mass deportation program across the nation.
Cain, 59, announced the news Wednesday in a video on his Instagram account. “I felt it was important to join with our first responders to help secure the safety of all Americans, not just talk about it, so I joined up,” Cain said, speaking directly to the camera as John Williams’ theme from the 1978 “Superman” film plays.
He went on to implore other people in the U.S. to join ICE as officers, touting the job’s salary and benefits. In an appearance on Fox News’ “Jesse Waters Primetime” later on Wednesday, Cain said: “I will be sworn in as an ICE agent ASAP.”
“This country was built on patriots stepping up, whether it was popular or not, and doing the right thing. I truly believe this is the right thing,” Cain said on Fox News.
In a statement, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin praised Cain and said he will be “sworn in as an honorary ICE Officer in the coming month.”
Cain is one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal supporters in Hollywood. He publicly endorsed Trump in the 2016, 2020 and 2024 presidential elections. In an interview with Variety last month, Cain said: “I love President Trump. I’ve been friends with him forever. … Trump is actually one of the most empathetic, wonderful, generous people you’ll ever meet.”
ICE has recently ramped up recruitment efforts. The agency has promoted incentives for recruits, including potential $50,000 signing bonuses and the possibility of up to $60,000 in student loan repayments. The Department of Homeland Security has also removed age limits for new hires.
The Trump administration is attempting to enact a sweeping immigration enforcement agenda. ICE, responding to pressure from the White House to dramatically increase arrests, detained more than 2,200 people in a single day in June — the most immigrant arrests in the agency’s history.
ICE agents have drawn intense scrutiny for arresting people who have no known criminal histories and for using controversial tactics, including wearing face coverings and detaining people at immigration court hearings.
ICE’s resources have grown substantially following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, Trump’s signature domestic legislation, which provided $14.4 billion in funding for immigrant removals and 10,000 new ICE agents. “This will help ICE achieve as many as 1 million deportations per year,” Homeland Security said in a news release.
Cain has more than 200 acting credits on the Internet Movie Database. He has appeared in various faith-based films, including the 2014 Christian drama “God’s Not Dead.”