A video of former Superman actor Dean Cain tackling an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) obstacle course while training to join its ranks has garnered both praise and criticism online.

Why It Matters

Cain gained fame in the 1990s playing Clark Kent in the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Cain was also the host of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last month launched a hiring push to bolster detention and deportation efforts, offering incentives including student loan forgiveness and signing bonuses of up to $50,000.

What To Know

In a video shared by ICE, the 59-year-old could be seen dressed in dark gear and sunglasses as he cleared hurdles at a law enforcement training center in Georgia.

“TV’s former ‘man of steel’ Dean Cain runs through the obstacle course during training to become an ICE officer at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia,” the post from ICE said.

It was met with mixed reactions on social media, with some applauding the actor.

Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, which describes itself as a “conservative, non-partisan educational foundation, which promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law,” wrote in response: “Thanks for stepping up, @RealDeanCain!”

X user @SFS150 remarked: “Good for him! @RealDeanCain he stood up and took a stand and a side. Keep at it Mr. Cain!”

X user @CarlosBtnoCigar said: “Superman @RealDeanCain putting in work! Thank you for your service, sir!”

Other posts were more critical, however.

“Looks like there might have been some kryptonite on the course,” quipped X user @ASFleischman.

“It’s not too late to delete this,” posted OSINTdefender, a widely followed open source intelligence account.

“LMAO. We’re living in the dumbest timeline,” wrote @BlueATLGeorgia in response to the clip.

“This is an utter embarrassment,” said X user @asmartbrunette1.

“While Dean Cain plays hero on screen, ICE’s real-life villainy in detaining innocents and tearing families apart makes this stunt nothing but tone-deaf propaganda,” @RichardAngwin posted in response.

Newsweek contacted ICE for comment via email on Sunday.

What People Are Saying

In a video posted to X on August 5, Cain said: “Hey everybody, Dean Cain here. For those who don’t know, I am a sworn law enforcement officer, as well as being a filmmaker, and I felt it was important to join with our first responders to help secure the safety of all Americans, not just talk about it…

“Since President Trump took office, ICE has arrested hundreds of thousands of criminals including terrorists, rapists, murderers, pedophiles, MS-13 gang members, drug traffickers, you name it—very dangerous people who are no longer on the streets.”

Cain added: “If you want to help save America, ICE is arresting the worst of the worst and removing them from America’s streets. I like that. I voted for that.”

What Happens Next

The DHS recently removed age limits for new ICE recruits, lifting previous restrictions that specified applicants had to be at least 21 and no older than 37 or 40 depending on the role at the agency, Newsweek reported previously.

“We no longer have a cap on how old you can be or you can continue at age 18, sign up for ICE and join us and be a part of it. We’ll get you trained and ready to be equipped to go out on the streets and help protect families,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox & Friends.