Ava DuVernay, Jodie Foster, Spike Lee and others call for the closure of migrant detention center in Texas

According to CinemaDrame News Agency, amid a new wave of protests under the banner “No Kings!”—which in recent days has brought figures such as Robert De Niro, Jane Fonda, Jimmy Kimmel, and Bruce Springsteen into the streets—a group of artists and public figures has once again called for the immediate closure of a migrant detention facility in Texas.

The demand was made through a campaign and open letter stating: “No child should be imprisoned in an immigration detention facility.”

Among the signatories are well-known names such as Oscar winner Jane Fonda, Pedro Pascal, Wunmi Mosaku, Morgan Spector, Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, Diego Luna, Tatiana Maslany, and acclaimed director Alejandro González Iñárritu. Ava DuVernay, Jodie Foster, Boots Riley, Ben Stiller, and Spike Lee also joined the campaign.

Other signatories include Joan Baez, Tig Notaro, Edward Norton, Alyssa Milano, Janelle Monáe, Quinta Brunson, and Jessica Alba.

The letter states: “We, the undersigned, demand the immediate closure of the Dilley immigration processing center, a family detention facility operated under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Texas. We also call for an end to the detention of children and families.”

The letter is addressed to private prison company CoreCivic, former U.S. President Donald Trump, ICE Director Todd Lyons, and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The campaign has so far gathered more than 218,000 verified signatures.

It further states that children in detention centers are subjected to “psychological harm, neglect, and conditions that violate basic standards of health, safety, human dignity, and human rights.”

The report also cites multiple alleged violations in these facilities, including lack of access to clean drinking water, spoiled food, dangerous medical neglect, sleep deprivation, lack of legal counsel, separation of children from families, and retaliatory treatment against families who speak out.

Another section of the statement reads: “Children belong in schools and playgrounds, not in detention centers.”

The signatories are calling on the U.S. federal government and CoreCivic to immediately shut down the facility and reunite children and families with their communities. They also emphasize the need for transparency, accountability, and structural reform to prevent similar cases across the United States.

The detention center has recently drawn attention due to reports of illness, mistreatment, and poor conditions. One controversial case involved 5-year-old Liam Concho Ramos, who was detained during a federal operation and transferred to the Texas facility. The incident sparked widespread media and political backlash, and he and his father were eventually released on February 1. However, the family still faces deportation proceedings to Ecuador.

In recent weeks, the number of families held at the center has decreased, but protests over its conditions continue.

Meanwhile, children’s educator and entertainer “Ms. Rachel” issued a statement saying: “Every child, everywhere, deserves to feel safe, cared for, and treated with dignity. We can all agree that no child should be imprisoned in an immigration detention facility and subjected to such cruel conditions.”

The statement concludes with a call for the public to join the campaign in support of children and families.