Was Dean Cain’s family in military? Service background explored as actor enlists in ICE

Dean Cain just announced that he is joining Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The former Superman actor posted a clip on social media to share his decision with his followers.

Dean Cain also has a history of serving in law enforcement. He has been a reserve police officer multiple times for different police departments. In 2018, he joined the St. Anthony Police Department, and two years later, he joined the Pocatello Police Department. Cain was also sworn in as a reserve deputy sheriff with the Frederick County, Virginia, Sheriff's Office.

In addition to his career in law enforcement, some of Dean Cain’s family members have served in the military. His grandfather served in the Navy while his uncle served in the Air Force. The Hit the Floor actor spoke about his family’s connection to the military during a 2023 interview with the National Rifle Association (NRA). He said:

“My grandfather was a commander in the Navy. My uncle was a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force. They were hunters.”

According to Nellis Air Force Base’s official website, Cain’s uncle, George Thomas, was a lieutenant colonel. His adoptive father, Christopher Cain, wasn't in the military and was a director. At the same time, Dean’s biological father, Roger Tanaka, whom he had never met, was an army serviceman, according to Goldsea magazine. 

Tanaka reportedly left Sharon Cain, Dean’s mother, before he was born.

Dean Cain encourages others to enlist in ICE

JOIN ICE!!

We need your help to protect 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/cXcUaDcDhY

— Dean Cain (@RealDeanCain) August 5, 2025

The Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman actor is known for being a Trump supporter and for his advocacy of ICE. On Tuesday, August 5, Cain announced that he had joined the agency and called for others to enlist as well, claiming the country needs their help. He said in a clip shared across social media platforms:

“For those who don't know, I am a sworn law enforcement officer, as well as being a filmmaker. I felt it was important to join with our first responders, to help secure the safety of all Americans, not just talk about it. So I joined up.”

He encouraged his viewers to join ICE and spoke about the financial, legal, and other benefits of enlisting in the federal agency. Dean Cain claimed that ICE had arrested hundreds of thousands of criminals since Trump took over. He concluded:

“So, if you want to help save America, ICE is arresting the worst of the worst and removing them from America’s streets.”

Later, Cain told Fox News:

“I will do whatever Director Lyons wants me to do. If that's what it takes, absolutely. I somehow doubt I'll be in that position, but I would be there in a heartbeat.”

For those unaware, the ex-Superman actor has also criticized James Gunn, who described the DC superhero as an immigrant. Gunn said during a Times interview in July:

“Superman is the story of America … An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.”

Dean Cain spoke to TMZ and agreed that Superman was an immigrant. He argued about the change in the character’s supposed motto “Truth, justice, and the American way” to “Truth, justice, and a Better Tomorrow.” He said:

“The ‘American way’ is immigrant friendly, tremendously immigrant friendly. But there are rules. You can’t come in saying: ‘I want to get rid of all the rules in America, because I want it to be more like Somalia.’ Well that doesn’t work, because you had to leave Somalia to come here.”

He added:

“There have to be limits, because we can’t have everybody in the United States. We can’t have everybody, society will fail. So there have to be limits.”

Around the same time, Dean Cain also appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored and referred to Superman as a refugee rather than an immigrant.