Martha Stewart has never evaded tough discussions and has always been vocal on power and responsibility and social changes over the years, being involved in debates that other such figures in her position would avoid. Being criticized by the audience, society evolving, or some country-level events, Stewart has established a brand as someone who speaks directly, deals with controversy with a clear mind, and is always in control of her narrative.

However, a text message from her family member made Martha Stewart reconsider her silence regarding national unrest against ICE, and she published it to the world.

Martha Stewart, 84, revealed that her decision to address immigration enforcement and civil unrest followed a text exchange with her 14-year-old granddaughter. The message, which Stewart shared on Instagram, showed questioning her grandmother’s silence during a period of heightened national tension.

“I’m not sure it’s excusable to not be speaking up right now,” her granddaughter wrote, expressing her discomfort with Stewart not speaking up. Stewart posted the screenshot publicly, noting her granddaughter’s awareness of current events and framing the exchange as a generational moment that compelled her to respond. In the caption, she directly acknowledged her granddaughter’s influence, writing:

“Granddaughter wrote me a note yesterday. She is fourteen and sensitive to what is going on in our country, as we all should be,” she wrote in the caption. Following the message, Stewart published a longer statement on Instagram addressing immigration policies, public demonstrations, and the broader climate of unrest. She wrote:

“I am disheartened and sad each and every day that we cannot demonstrate our sympathy for the beleaguered, that we are told immigrants," Stewart wrote on her Instagram post. She continued that going on peaceful demonstrations puts the lives of protesters at risk, urging for change quickly and peacefully. 

As Stewart spoke out, other well-known figures have also been using their platforms to address ICE and civil unrest.

With the ongoing discussions concerning ICE in the country, Martha Stewart was not the only prominent person to comment on it. Actors and filmmakers also took the opportunity to give a voice at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, with Elijah Wood standing with demonstrators in a short protest against immigration enforcement.

Another event took place outside 577 Main Street, where approximately 100 demonstrators held a 10-minute sunset rally entitled Sundancers Melt ICE, chanting messages of compassion. Wood was present at the demonstration and told Deadline later that the recent events in Minnesota involving Alex Pretti and Renee Good were extremely disturbing and that they attributed those to the case when federal agents illegally took away lives.

In Sundance, Wood pointed out that the festival is an occasion to unite people with the stories of the world, and during the weekend, some actors actively protested against ICE, and some even wore pins with the label of ICE Out during premieres.

Actress Natalie Portman also touched upon it, and in her speech to Deadline, she described the current situation in the U.S. as horrifying and emphasized the long history of Sundance as a venue of activism and discussion. With Martha Stewart speaking now as well, it seems that celebrities voicing their concerns is not going to stop anytime soon.

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What do you think about Martha Stewart’s post against the ICE protest? Let us know in the comments below.