List of celebrities upset by border policy grows
NEW YORK — Country music icon Willie Nelson has extended an offer to meet President Donald Trump at one of the detention centers at the U.S.-Mexico border to better understand what’s happening, the latest attempt by a celebrity hoping to end the administration’s policy of separating families at border crossings.
John Legend and his wife, Chrissy Teigen, have donated and raised $1 million to the American Civil Liberties Union. Ellen DeGeneres tweeted a link to groups fighting the policy. And Kate Walsh has pleaded with critics to call their senators and demand a change.
The separations stem from a policy that turns all cases of people trying to enter the country illegally over for criminal prosecution. Trump has defended the policy, which has taken nearly 2,000 immigrant children away from their parents.
Stars such as Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Alyssa
Milano, Mark Hamill, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Judd Apatow, Kumail Nanjiani, Piper Perabo and Common have denounced the policy. Oprah Winfrey wrote to her 42.7 million followers: “Babies torn from their parents. Can’t stand it!”
“Modern Family” cocreator Steve Levitan also weighed in, saying he was “disgusted to work at a company that has anything whatsoever to do with” Fox News. Filmmaker and writer Paul Feig wrote that he supported Fox’s film and TV divisions but “cannot condone the
support their news division promotes toward the immoral and abusive policies and actions taken by the current administration.”
Nelson tweeted to the president Monday, asking him to join him in a visit to the centers “to better understand what’s happening there.” Nelson’s publicist confirmed the tweet came from the 85-yearold country singer, which was posted on his wife Annie’s Twitter account.
In a statement last week to Rolling Stone, Nelson was even more critical, saying, “Christians everywhere should be up in arms.”
Jennifer Nettles, another country artist, weighed in Tuesday, writing on Twitter: “Speaking of borders, I do believe loving people know that regardless of politics, there are some lines you do not cross. Protecting children seems to be one we can all agree on.”
Tony- and Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright Tony Kushner added his voice to the effort, calling the policy “monstrous” and saying he is “shocked” to find America implementing it.