Danny Trejo says he is not pro-ICE after Pawn Shop backlash

Danny Trejo has responded to criticism over his starring role in Pawn Shop, a Daily Wire film centred on immigration enforcement, saying he is not pro-ICE.

In a statement reported by Variety on Oct. 10, 2026, Trejo said he is a proud Mexican and a lifelong supporter of his community. He described himself as pro-immigrant. He was explicit on the other point. He is not pro-ICE, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement organisation.

Trejo said he knows where he comes from and knows struggle. Acting, he said, is about telling a story. That was his reason for taking the part.

He said he was drawn to the role because it offered a positive depiction of a Latino man who is also a veteran, according to Variety. In the film, Trejo plays a pawn shop owner. Harvey Keitel co-stars as a fellow veteran hired to work in the shop.

The backlash centres on the production in Livingston, Montana. Extras playing protesters filmed a scene there on Oct. 2, 2026, reported by Deadline. Video from the set appeared to recreate the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good, according to Variety. Local reporting has described the story as involving rioters, addicts, a pawn shop and a Korean grocery called “Kim’s Seoul Market.”

Filming was shut down in Livingston after local complaints. Those included the impact on the Livingston food bank and improper warnings about hazardous stunts, according to Variety. Production later resumed. Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro called the shutdown “content discrimination” and “a violation of the First Amendment.”

City officials allowed production to continue despite concerns about disruption and its portrayal of an immigration crackdown, reported by The Guardian.

Trejo’s representative confirmed his statements about Pawn Shop but had no further comment, according to Variety.