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By Suzanne Blake
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A new trend has emerged where celebrities and everyday Americans seemingly make scandalous or shocking posts about themselves on Instagram, only to lead their followers to a page with ‘Abolish ICE’ information.
The new posts also swipe over to instructions on how to contact your local senator, with pleas not to pass an impending appropriations bill that approves additional funding for ICE from Homeland Security.
Why It Matters
Backlash has sparked across the country after the ICE killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
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The Department of Homeland Security said on social media that Pretti, age 37, had approached the officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. However, this contrasts with video footage of the shooting, where Pretti does not appear to be holding a gun in his hand.
“The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted,” DHS wrote. “More details on the armed struggle are forthcoming. Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots. Medics on scene immediately delivered medical aid to the subject but was pronounced dead at the scene.”
What To Know
Celebrities and everyday citizens alike are taking to Instagram with posts that start off "shocking" or "explosive" in nature before directing their followers to information on how to help dismantle ICE.
Ariana Madix, the reality show star on Vanderpump Rules and Love Island USA, starts an Instagram post with a photograph of herself with the written caption: “The real reason I didn’t return to Bravo will shock you,” with an arrow pointing to swipe forward.
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Once you swipe, you’ll find a post about ‘Abolish ICE’ citing a study from 2018 to 2022 that found 922 allegations of sexual assault by ICE and border patrol agents.
“At least 32 people have died in ICE custody in 2025, and 6 have already died this year,” the post reads. “Medical emergencies are often ignored in ICE detention facilities, and there is overcrowding, poor sanitation and unsafe conditions.”
Madix then directed followers on how best to identify ICE vehicles and an instructional kit on how to contact their senator and what to say to indicate you do not support the upcoming appropriations bill.
The post instructs followers to say, “I don’t want my tax dollars going to harassing, attacking and killing innocent people, including peaceful protestors and legal observers… How you vote will determine how I vote at the polls.”
“people don’t believe me when i tell them 🥀 thank you@preston.mitchum for inspiring me,” Madix wrote under the post.
Preston Mitchum, an attorney and activist who also starred in Summer House: Martha's Vineyard, shared a similar post with his followers. The starting image shows a photograph of him with the teaser "How reality TV came close to ruining my life" before directing viewers to the Abolish ICE information.
The trend has picked up among influencers as well.
Tomika Bryant, a breast cancer survivor and Philadelphia-based influencer, shared the same post with the intro image offering, "Here’s how I lost 25 pounds in 5 weeks," to get viewers to click to the ICE information.
Elizabeth Booker Houston, a lawyer, political commentator and standup comedian, did her own rendition of the Abolish ICE trend, promoting the information with a misleading first picture offering, "How I made 6 figures with 1 brand deal."
The ICE killings of Pretti and Good have sparked criticism from even conservative voices, especially as it pertains to gun rights in America.
“I’ve been open carrying at rallies since 2019,” a Virginia Kekoas militia leader identified as "ICE" by documentarian Ford Fischer said in comments released to X. “There is zero difference between this many carrying his firearm at a protest than me or my boys carrying at a protest.”
He added: “The First and Second Amendments do not stop where politics and opinions differ… These GOD GIVEN rights are absolute. The killing of Alex Pretti was unjustified as the video clearly showed he was disarmed by the agent in the grey jacket.”
What People Are Saying
Fox News host Trey Gowdy said on Fox News: “I think what frustrates people — you remember Kyle Rittenhouse and how he was made a hero on the right. I'm sure there are people on the conservative side who are saying, ‘Wait a minute, you mean you can't take a firearm to a protest? Because you were just celebrating a guy for doing it a couple of years ago.' Alex Pretti's firearm was lawfully being carried. It's lawful to carry a gun in Minnesota. He never brandished it. He didn't point it at the cops.”
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: “This is the gunman’s gun, loaded (with two additional full magazines!), and ready to go—What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers? The Mayor and the Governor called them off? It is stated that many of these Police were not allowed to do their job, that ICE had to protect themselves—Not an easy thing to do!”
What Happens Next
Criticism of ICE has continued both online and in person at protests near where ICE operations are taking place.
Minnesota officials filed a lawsuit and a temporary restraining order to stop Trump officials from "destroying or altering evidence" relating to the shooting of Pretti.
"As I told the White House in no uncertain terms this morning, the federal government cannot be trusted to lead this investigation,” Walz said Sunday.
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