During the 83rd Golden Globes ceremony held on Sunday, several well-known actors visibly supported a political statement by wearing anti-ICE pins. These tokens, marked with stark black-and-white messages including “BE GOOD” and “ICE OUT,” paid homage to Renee Good, a Minneapolis woman who was fatally shot in her vehicle earlier that week by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official. The event marked a notable transition to more vocal political messaging compared to the previous year's ceremony.
Among those who prominently showcased the pins on the red carpet were Mark Ruffalo, Wanda Sykes, and Natasha Lyonne, alongside other unnamed celebrities who were anticipated to follow suit throughout the evening.
Since the fatal incident on Wednesday, a wave of demonstrations has erupted across the United States. Protesters have called for accountability concerning not only Good's death but also a recent Portland shooting where Border Patrol agents inflicted injuries on two individuals. These protests, particularly in Minneapolis, have occasionally escalated into confrontations with law enforcement amid the city undergoing the largest immigration enforcement campaign by ICE to date.
Nelini Stamp, affiliated with Working Families Power and an organizer behind the anti-ICE pin initiative, emphasized the necessity for collective societal engagement. She highlighted the role of cultural figures by stating, "We need every part of civil society, society to speak up. We need our artists. We need our entertainers. We need the folks who reflect society."
In addition to public demonstrations, the incident has caught the attention of governmental bodies, with Congress members promising decisive action and the FBI conducting an ongoing inquiry into Good's death. Despite the backlash, the administration under President Trump has maintained a position defending the ICE officer's behavior, framing it as an act of self-defense based on the belief that Good intended to strike the officer with her vehicle.
Tragically, just one week earlier, an off-duty ICE agent shot and killed Keith Porter, 43, in Los Angeles. This event sparked protests in the surrounding area demanding the arrest of the responsible officer.
The genesis of the “ICE OUT” pin movement originated from a late-night discussion between Nelini Stamp and Jess Morales Rocketto, executive director of the Latino advocacy group Maremoto. Recognizing the power of high-profile cultural moments to raise awareness on social issues, they intentionally targeted the Golden Globes as a platform, continuing their tradition of activism that includes opposition to policies such as family separation during the Trump administration's tenure.
Stamp referenced a historical precedent for such gestures, citing the 1973 Academy Awards when Sacheen Littlefeather declined Marlon Brando's Oscar in protest of Hollywood's treatment of Native Americans, underscoring a longstanding tradition of artists engaging in political discourse through public appearances.
The campaign grew by leveraging personal networks, as the organizers reached out to celebrities and influencers who further propagated the message to higher-profile figures, including labor activist Ai-jen Poo, who previously used the Golden Globes red carpet in 2018 alongside Meryl Streep to spotlight the Time’s Up movement.
Stamp reinforced the legitimacy and significance of artistic activism, stating, "There is a longstanding tradition of people who create art taking a stand for justice in moments. We're going to continue that tradition."
Beyond the ceremony itself, supporters have been active at related social gatherings leading up to the event, distributing pins and encouraging visibility during the awards. Morales Rocketto described the grassroots nature of the initiative, explaining how participants carry the pins and encourage others to wear them, reflecting a community-driven effort to enhance awareness.
The campaigners have committed to sustaining their advocacy throughout the awards season to ensure public recognition extends beyond Renee Good to include others whose lives were lost in shootings involving ICE agents.