David Archuleta, Melissa Fumero, Other Hollywood Stars Defy Donald Trump With 'ICE Out' Red Carpet Protest

Hollywood names including David Archuleta and Melissa Fumero turned the GLAAD 2026 Latin Honors in Los Angeles into an unexpectedly charged moment on Tuesday, arriving in award-show finery with small 'ICE Out' buttons fastened to their outfits. The quiet but pointed protest, aimed at President Donald Trump's immigration agenda, turned the Sofitel Hotel red carpet into a sharper, more political backdrop than usual.

Their gesture surfaced just days after The Washington Post reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was preparing to shut down Camp East Montana, a recently built detention facility on the Fort Bliss U.S. Army base in El Paso, which is currently dealing with a measles outbreak. That development sharpened the edges of an already tense conversation around immigration enforcement and oversight.

The pins were deliberately understated. There were no speeches, no choreographed walkouts and no attempts to build an organised movement on the carpet. Instead, the message appeared to be one of alignment: a small, hurriedly pinned accessory that signalled support for those calling for reforms. Fumero, Archuleta, Stephanie Beatriz, Isabella Gomez, Michael Cimino, Cesar Camacho and David Fumero were among those seen wearing the badges. The choice gave the night a different charge, cutting across the usual award-season gloss.

Red Carpet Politics And The 'ICE Out' Message

GLAAD's Latine Honors sit within the broader Media Awards ecosystem, a set of ceremonies designed to amplify Spanish-language and Latine LGBTQ representation. This year's guest list, already dense with star power, was anchored by honourees such as Quinta Brunson, named in the event materials as the recipient of the Vanguard Award. The prize recognises allies who have advanced LGBTQ acceptance, and Brunson has long been credited with weaving queer characters into Abbott Elementary without turning them into public service announcements. Her now widely quoted shorthand for that approach — 'People be gay' — has been embraced across fan communities.

The ceremony also reflected a wider spread of work being recognised. Abbott Elementary is nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, with Hacks and Survival of the Thickest listed as fellow contenders. Meanwhile, Saturday Night Live performer Bowen Yang and comedian Matt Rogers are set to receive the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, honouring LGBTQ media professionals whose visibility has had a demonstrable impact on entertainment culture. Previous recipients noted in the reporting include Laverne Cox, Niecy Nash Betts, Cynthia Erivo, Wanda Sykes and Jim Parsons, placing this year's honourees in experienced company.

Yang and Rogers' own contribution to queer commentary, their podcast Las Culturistas, has built a devoted audience around its alternately affectionate and caustic dissection of pop culture. It is also nominated for Outstanding Podcast, alongside The Read and We Can Do Hard Things.

The 5 March ceremony is reported to include a performance by Demi Lovato, along with a Media Awards debut from Eli, nominated for Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist. Figure skater Amber Glenn is expected to attend, with Jonathan Bennett named as host. Presenters listed in the event materials range from Kristen Wiig to Cara Delevingne, and from Rob McElhenney to Rhea Seehorn, a reminder of how wide the organisation's reach has become.

Immigration Policy Shadows GLAAD's Latine Honors

Despite the gleam of the venue and the guest list, the backdrop of U.S. immigration policy never quite receded. The Washington Post's reporting described Camp East Montana as hastily constructed and currently contending with a measles outbreak. A document shared internally at ICE stated the agency was drafting a letter to terminate its $1.2 billion contract with Acquisition Logistics LLC, though no timeline was given for closure. The contract is due to expire on 30 September 2027.

Representative Veronica Escobar, whose district includes El Paso, called the camp the 'epitome of fraud, waste, [and] abuse', pointing to long-held concerns about accountability and the treatment of detainees. Her comments underscored why a modest red button could carry more political freight than its appearance suggested.

The 'ICE Out' pin becomes less a fashion statement and more an admission that the red carpet is not insulated from the policies shaping the communities it celebrates. Whether that acknowledgement endures beyond a single evening, once the flashes stop and the car doors close, is a question no badge can settle.