Danny Trejo Says He’s “Not Pro-ICE” Amid Backlash Over Daily Wire Movie
Danny Trejo has rejected claims that his role in the upcoming film *Pawn Shop* means he supports ICE, saying he is pro-immigrant and “not pro ICE”. The casting has drawn attention because Trejo has long spoken about his Mexican-American heritage and ties to immigrant communities, while the film’s producer, the Daily Wire, has described the project as pro-ICE.
Trejo plays the owner of a Minneapolis pawn shop, a veteran whose family has run the business for generations. The story follows an ICE agent who takes shelter there while fleeing a mob during unrest over an immigration arrest. Filming in Livingston, Montana, was briefly halted after residents raised concerns about disruption, simulated gunfire and a scene that appeared to echo the killing of Renée Good; the permit was later reinstated with added conditions. No release date has been announced.
- Trejo says his role does not mean he supports ICE.
- *Pawn Shop* follows an ICE agent seeking refuge in a veteran’s shop.
- Filming resumed after local complaints led to added permit conditions.
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ICE is the US agency responsible for enforcing federal immigration laws, including detaining and deporting people who are in the country unlawfully. Its role has made it a focus of debate over immigration enforcement and the treatment of migrants.
Danny Trejo is a Mexican-American actor whose public identity is closely associated with his heritage and immigrant communities. The Daily Wire, a US media company that also produces films, has described Pawn Shop as a pro-ICE project, while Trejo has said he does not support ICE.
The film is set in Minneapolis and centres on a pawn shop owner whose family has run the business for generations. Its premise places an ICE agent seeking shelter amid unrest over an immigration arrest, connecting the story to wider US disputes over immigration and law enforcement.
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The case for
A thoughtful defence of Trejo’s casting is that an actor can portray a character without endorsing the film’s politics, and Trejo has explicitly said he remains pro-immigrant and not pro-ICE. The story may also allow audiences to see an ICE agent as a person in danger, while Trejo’s role and presence bring an immigrant-community perspective to a politically charged narrative.
The case against
A thoughtful criticism is that appearing in a film promoted by its producer as pro-ICE may lend credibility and visibility to that message, regardless of an actor’s personal views. Given Trejo’s public identification with Mexican-American and immigrant communities, critics may see the casting as confusing or as helping present a one-sided account of an immigration enforcement controversy.