Former Superman actor Dean Cain had a meltdown while trying to defend himself and President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement after becoming a target for public mockery for joining ICE.
“The idea that somebody who is not trained would join ICE and join these guys that are putting on masks and jumping out of U-Hauls at a Home Depot and nabbing people, like, it’s a horrible policy. It is un-American,” The Bulwark’s Tim Miller said Monday on “Piers Morgan Uncensored.”
Cain has been made the butt of many jokes for his decision. Multiple people online have pointed out the irony that an actor who played Superman in the ’90s TV series “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” would be joining an agency making constitutionally questionable arrests.
Meanwhile, late-night comedians such as John Oliver and Bill Maher have poked fun at ICE’s desperation in hiring the former actor.
Despite the criticism, the 59-year-old Cain praised the agency.
“You’re going out and you’re villainizing myself. You’re going out and you’re villainizing these ICE agents who are trying to uphold the law. These are wonderful men and women,” Cain told Morgan.
Miller, a former GOP political strategist, piled on Cain as well, taking a jab at his acting history while defending migrants who now fear deportation when going through legal channels to remain in the United States.
“They came through a legal process and now we’ve got ICE agents, and apparently former Superman actors are going to jump out of vans and nab them and hold them in deportation cells,” Miller said. “That’s insane. Like, that’s not how you act in a free country.”
He said he believes Cain “wants to turn the country into something that looks more like an authoritarian country,” and that ICE does not need more agents, especially “more untrained actors as agents.”
Cain took offense to being called “untrained,” stressing his law enforcement background and claiming Miller was “denigrating” him because of his acting history.
“It’s ridiculous,” Cain said. “Should I say because you’re a former Republican strategist, you have no say on anything? That’s baloney.”
During the panel discussion, Miller questioned Cain about whether, if he showed up at someone’s home as an ICE agent, he would know what rights they had.
Cain responded, “I’m not an ICE agent yet.”
“So yeah, you’re an untrained former actor,” Miller said.
“I’m a former actor,” Cain said, getting visibly agitated. “I’m a former professional football player, too. So, want to run down your resume? I mean, it’s so stupid.”
Miller went on to grill the former actor some more about joining ICE, but Cain, frustrated with the line of questioning, told the Bulwark writer, “This is ridiculous. I’m not a sworn ICE agent yet.”
“Well, you were saying you were happy to jump out of vans and start apprehending people. You were bragging about that,” Miller said, referencing Cain’s interview last week on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime.”
