Hollywood’s Anti-ICE Obsession: Illegals Portrayed as Innocent Victims on 'Matlock'

Dawn Slusher
March 16th, 2026 9:57 PM

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It’s obvious where Hollywood stands on illegal immigration as evidenced by celebrity rantings at the Grammys and Golden Globes and in shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and The Pitt which attempt to sway viewers with anti-ICE storylines. Now, CBS’s reboot of the beloved classic hit Matlock is inserting itself into Hollywood’s Liberal Virtue Signaling and Brainwashing Club™ with its own anti-ICE propaganda.

For context, as Hollywood demonizes ICE, real Americans are being victimized by the people ICE are trying to deport. Most recently, an illegal immigrant living in Virginia stabbed a 31-year-old mother to death at a bus stop after police warned prosecutors the crime was inevitable. The man had 30 prior arrests including rape and stabbings but many of the charges were dropped by the prosecution.

Shows like Matlock want us to believe, however, that ICE is the villain and illegals are just innocent victims. In Season 2’s episode “Collateral,” viewers are introduced to Jack, a hardworking, sympathetic father and husband who is suddenly detained in front of his family by ICE while showing his kids “the legal system in action” on their day off from school:

 

Jack: Hey there.

Olympia: Hey.

Jack: Kids had no school, and Rachel thought they'd like to see the legal system in action.

ICE Agent: Jack Alvarez. Hands behind your back, please.

Olympia: Whoa. Excuse me. I am his attorney. What is this about?

Daughter: Wait. Mom, what's happening?

ICE Agent: Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Step back.

Olympia: He's an American citizen.

ICE Agent: I can assure you he's not.

Daughter: Where are you taking him?

Olympia: Do not touch me. Okay, I just spoke with our top immigration attorney. He already has a call into DHS. In the meantime, you need to tell us everything, Rachel.

Rachel: Jack knew his parents were undocumented, but he thought he was born here. He learned he wasn't when he applied for college, but he was scared. He didn't want to expose them.

Olympia: When did you find out?

Rachel: Right before we got married. We consulted lawyers, but if he tried to get citizenship through me, it would put his family on their radar, and there was no way to guarantee that he wouldn't be deported, or them, and it just…

Matty: Felt like too much of a risk?

Rachel: Exactly. Our whole life was at stake. We thought that if he paid taxes, followed the law, gave back to the community... Well, we convinced ourselves this would never happen.

So, the “legal system in action” is only a good thing when it ignores illegal activity? Where’s the storyline on people like the Virginia mother and many other American citizens who have been brutally victimized and/or murdered by illegals? Or how about showing the difficulties ICE agents are facing while trying to keep us safe:

-8,000% increase in death threats

-1,300% increase in assaults and 3,200% increase in vehicular attacks

-Threats to family members

-Verbal assaults and unsafe working environment

-Crisis-level morale and long work hours

But these truths contradict Hollywood’s agenda so, cue the violins and fictional, heart wrenching storylines that literally flip the script and portray enforcement of the law as an injustice instead of showing the reality of what can happen when someone has no regard for our laws.  

The episode did show the appeals process which gives people such as Jack a chance to stay in the country and become a legal citizen. But it wasn’t long before they portrayed that as problematic, as well, with a sudden courtroom surprise: Jack has a criminal conviction of burglary in the third degree on his record.

Jack can’t be a villain, though, so it’s revealed he was actually doing something virtuous. Because of course. 32 years ago, he organized and participated in a peaceful college protest inside the chancellor’s office to stop the school from buying merchandise from sweatshops. What a guy, right? Nothing at all like the real illegals out on our streets stabbing people after 30 prior arrests.

In the end, the lawyers were able to make a deal for Jack to stay in the country, but even that is sullied as Jack must agree to give up his business and livelihood, leaving him unable to provide for his family:

 

Olivia: Stokes doesn’t want to lose this. Bad precedent. So, they're offering you a deal. You get to stay in the country.

Jack: What's the catch?

Olivia: There's no path to citizenship. And the government won't let you profit off of what they're calling your "Citizenship fraud." Meaning, you'll have to resign from Solar Canyon, and you'll be prohibited from employment with any federal contractor.

Jack: That's every job in my industry.

Olivia: I know. And of course, the government won't fulfill your solar contract. We'd officially lose the injunction. And they're asking for restitution to the tune of six million.

Rachel: That's more than we have.

Jack: With no future earning potential. So what's the alternative?

Olivia: We wait for the judge's ruling, but it is a big gamble. If we lose, you will be deported immediately. Possibly to a third country, where you don't speak the language. We'd have very little control.

Rachel: We were so naive to think this wouldn't come out.

Jack: We had only bad options then. We didn't know they'd get worse. There's only one choice. I'll take the deal.

Matty: At least their family will stay intact.

No amount of fictional, sappy, soap opera-style storylines will change the reality everyday Americans are living in. Hollywood can continue to distort the truth all it wants but they’re not going to fool those of us living in the real world and dealing with real-life consequences of unfettered illegal immigration under the Biden administration.

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