Dean Cain, best known for portraying Superman in the 1990s TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, is set to take on a new role this time in real life as an honorary agent with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In an interview on Wednesday, Cain, who is already a sworn deputy sheriff and reserve police officer, announced plans to be sworn in “as soon as possible” following conversations with ICE officials. His decision follows the release of a recruitment video urging Americans to join the agency’s latest hiring campaign.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Cain will be sworn in as an honorary ICE officer in the coming month. “Superman is encouraging Americans to become real-life superheroes by answering their country’s call to join the brave men and women of ICE to help protect our communities,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
ICE recently launched an aggressive recruitment effort aimed at hiring 10,000 additional personnel, effectively doubling its current workforce of 20,000 officers and staff. Positions include deportation officers, attorneys, criminal investigators, and student visa adjudicators. The campaign features incentives such as bonuses of up to $50,000 (KSh 6.4 million) and student loan assistance.
The recruitment push comes as the Trump administration seeks to ramp up deportations to one million per year, part of a broader immigration enforcement policy that has included high-profile raids across the country. While the administration argues these measures target dangerous offenders, critics have labelled many raids unlawful and protested their impact on immigrant communities.
In late July, DHS unveiled recruitment posters styled after World War II propaganda, bearing slogans like “America Needs You” and “Defend the Homeland,” alongside images of President Donald Trump and other officials. The campaign has already drawn more than 80,000 applications.
Cain said he hopes his involvement will inspire more recruits: “People have to step up. I’m stepping up. Hopefully a whole bunch of other former officers and former ICE agents will step up, and we’ll meet those recruitment goals immediately and help protect this country.”
With $76 billion allocated to ICE in a recent spending bill nearly ten times its previous funding the agency is now the highest-funded federal law enforcement body in the United States.
