The 65-year-old actress, known for her breakout role on What’s Happening Now!! and a string of popular series throughout the 1990s, was seen Monday placing placards criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Some of the signs carried explicit anti-ICE messages, urged resistance against fascism, and even drew comparisons between federal agents and the Gestapo.
Dressed in a navy hoodie, matching cap, and sunglasses, Johnson appeared to keep a low profile as she used tools to secure the signs in place. Witnesses said she later spoke with a neighbor about the display.
Over the years, Johnson built an extensive résumé. She played Alycia Barnett on Melrose Place and portrayed Congresswoman Bobbi Latham on JAG from 1997 to 2002. She also had a major role on In the Heat of the Night, the television continuation of the Sidney Poitier film, appearing in more than 100 episodes.
Her additional credits include appearances on Girlfriends, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, That’s So Raven, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, NCIS, and Grey’s Anatomy. She even returned in 2022 for an episode of Raven’s Home.
The incident unfolds amid heightened national debate surrounding ICE enforcement policies, particularly following fatal shootings in Minneapolis earlier this year. On Monday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that ICE and DHS officers would now be required to wear body cameras. Lawmakers have since debated additional oversight measures, with some pushing for stricter guidelines on use of force and independent investigations into ICE-related incidents.
Meanwhile, public protests and celebrity criticism have intensified, with artists such as Billie Eilish and Bad Bunny speaking out at high-profile events.
Johnson, who has kept a relatively low profile in recent years, most recently appeared in a 2023 episode of NCIS and in the independent film The Addiction of Hope last year.
