Mark Ruffalo denounces Trump’s harsh immigration policies with empathy, joining a chorus of celebrities voicing anger and sorrow over the traumatic effects on migrant families in America. As the Trump administration intensifies deportation and increases military involvement, public figures like Diego Luna and Pedro Pascal have stepped forward to demand compassion and highlight the human cost.
Hollywood Raises Its Voice Against Trump’s Immigration Actions
With tension rising across American communities affected by stringent immigration measures, Hollywood has become a powerful platform for resistance. Actors such as Diego Luna, Mark Ruffalo, and Pedro Pascal have become prominent voices decrying systemic cruelty and urging the public to recognize the human lives entangled in policy decisions.
Recently, Diego Luna, celebrated for his performance as Cassian Andor in “Star Wars: Andor,” addressed the ongoing migrant crisis during an interview at Mexico City airport. Luna’s outspoken empathy emphasized the heavy toll felt by families gripped by fear and instability because of deportations and forced separation.
This is a very important moment. What’s happening nationally there is very serious. I’m left with what happened over the weekend, the outpouring of support, the community coming out. It was wonderful to see that response. It’s a very sad, very dark, and incredibly scary time for so many people. It’s important for them to know they’re not alone, to stay informed, to stay vigilant.
— Diego Luna, Actor
His words echo the widespread distress permeating migrant communities as families find themselves uprooted and children live with uncertainty and fear. Luna’s statement, rooted in firsthand awareness of migration’s hardships, urges solidarity rather than silence during these national upheavals.
President Donald Trump’s administration prioritized the removal of undocumented individuals, describing the situation as an “invasion.” This stance led to the assignment of 4,000 National Guard troops and additional Marines to enforce policies, sparking nationwide protests and a wave of public condemnation from celebrities and advocacy groups. These forceful actions have intensified the atmosphere of anxiety among immigrant families, many of whom already face severe trauma.
Luna’s willingness to speak candidly adds him to a growing number of actors who believe silence in the face of injustice is unacceptable. By calling attention to the plight of real people—beyond statistics and headlines—he leverages his influence to prompt a national reckoning with the consequences of anti-immigrant legislation.
A Growing Celebrity Movement Led by Mark Ruffalo, Pedro Pascal, and Others
Diego Luna’s empathy-driven response is one of many from high-profile celebrities who have shifted their public platforms toward activism and direct criticism of Trump’s immigration agenda. Mark Ruffalo, well-known as the Hulk in Marvel films, has consistently confronted government action through rallies and media appearances. At the “No Kings” protest in New York, Ruffalo condemned the use of military force and the scapegoating of immigrants, calling for ordinary citizens to reclaim democratic values and resist authoritarian tendencies.
While Trump today is blowing $45 million of our tax money on his kingly dictator military birthday bash in our nation’s capital, we are gathering here by the hundreds of thousands in locations of thousands around the USA and the world in the spirit of our founding fathers and our brothers and sisters of the Boston Tea Party. We’re patriots, and we’re lovers of democracy.
— Mark Ruffalo, Actor
The protest drew a notable crowd of artists including Ilana Glazer, Susan Sarandon, Kerry Washington, Glenn Close, Ayo Edebiri, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Anna Sophia Robb, and Emily Osment, all of whom amplified resistance and demonstrated the power of cultural figures in shaping public discourse. Their presence put a national spotlight on the plight of families threatened by raids and deportations, reminding Americans that the crisis was not an abstraction but a daily ordeal for many.
At Cannes, Pedro Pascal, who navigated his own family’s immigrant journey from Chile to the U.S. via Denmark, used his platform to denounce fear tactics used against migrants. Pascal’s words reflected both personal and collective pain, as he pointed out how politicians manipulate anxieties to consolidate power at the expense of vulnerable communities.
F**k the people that try to make you scared
— Pedro Pascal, Actor, Cannes News Conference
Fear is the way that they win.
— Pedro Pascal, Actor, Cannes News Conference
I want people to be safe and to be protected, and I want very much to live on the right of history. I’m an immigrant. My parents are refugees from Chile. We fled a dictatorship, and I was privileged enough to grow up in the U.S. after asylum in Denmark. If it weren’t for that, I don’t know what would have happened to us. I stand by those protections.
— Pedro Pascal, Actor
Pascal’s testimony connects the headlines to lived realities, pointing out the privileges he experienced through asylum and the looming threat posed to others by current policies. His background solidifies the message that today’s affected families mirror his own, and that solidarity and protection remain urgent responsibilities.
The mounting celebrity outcry is not limited to actors. Kim Kardashian has become a recurring advocate for immigration reform and justice, at one point encouraging donations to the National Immigration Law Center during federal raids. Other pop culture figures, including Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Kehlani, Finneas, and Reneé Rapp, have taken to social media and interviews to rally against bans, bolster immigrant rights, and spotlight family separations. Each name adds both reach and resonance to a growing call for compassion.
The Lasting Effects of Hollywood’s Standoff With Trump’s Policies
The continuing flood of celebrity statements, marches, and fundraisers makes it clear that the cultural landscape has changed. Well-known figures like Diego Luna, Mark Ruffalo, and Pedro Pascal are using their roles not as substitutes for policymakers, but as catalysts for debate and, potentially, for change. They bring the emotional gravity of the crisis to national attention, refusing to normalize the suffering of families or the demonization of refugees for political gain.
The significance of this movement is not just in star power but in the insistence that silence only enables injustice. These artists frame the issue in urgent moral terms, emphasizing that the crisis is not simply another policy debate but a reckoning that tests the nation’s conscience. As influential citizens, their actions signal that entertainment and advocacy are inseparable and that the platform carries a responsibility to uphold democratic ideals and human rights.
The broader impact is already unfolding as more public figures, activists, and community members join the conversation, demanding transparency and reform. The collective pushback has led to increased donations to support migrants, larger protest turnouts, and more scrutiny of government initiatives. Mark Ruffalo’s rallying cry, Diego Luna’s somber reflection, and Pedro Pascal’s personal account are uniting diverse voices under a single message: the human rights of migrants and refugees cannot be sidelined without consequence.
As the future of immigration policy and enforcement remains uncertain, this surge of celebrity-led advocacy ensures that public attention continues to focus on the emotional costs endured by families and communities in the current climate. In the battle over basic human dignity, these actors remind America that empathy is not negotiable—and standing silent is not an option.
