By Julio Gonzaga
Selena Gomez Weeps Over Trump’s Deportation Policies
Selena Gomez, the American singer and actress known for her roles in Disney productions and beyond, took to Instagram to express her deep concerns over the recent immigration policies under President Donald Trump. The video, which was swiftly shared and then deleted, captured Gomez in a moment of raw emotion.
Gomez posted a video on her Instagram Story, where she appeared visibly upset. In the video, she stated, “All my people are getting attacked, the children. I don’t understand. I’m so sorry, I wish I could do something but I can’t. I don’t know what to do. I’ll try everything, I promise.” This statement came in the wake of a significant crackdown on immigration by the Trump administration, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reporting arrests of 956 individuals in a nationwide sweep, marking one of the largest operations since Trump’s inauguration for his second term.
Gomez, who identifies as a third-generation Mexican-American, has been an outspoken advocate for immigrant rights in the past. Her reaction was not just a celebrity’s stance but a deeply personal one, reflecting her family’s history with immigration. In the now-deleted video, she accompanied her words with a caption that included an apology and a Mexican flag emoji.
The backlash was immediate. Critics on social media platforms, particularly those supporting the Trump administration’s policies, accused Gomez of engaging in “performative” activism or “celebrity narcissism,” with some suggesting she should use her substantial wealth to directly help immigrants if she was truly moved by their plight. Conversely, Gomez received support from fans and advocates who appreciated her showing “empathy for people,” as she noted in a follow-up post that she also later deleted, arguing that “Apparently it’s not ok to show empathy for people”.
In a previous essay for TIME magazine, she detailed her family’s journey, noting, “In the 1970s, my aunt crossed the border from Mexico to the United States hidden in the back of a truck.” Her grandparents followed, and her father was born in Texas soon after, a narrative that Gomez has used to underscore the human aspects of immigration debates.