Singer and actress Selena Gomez recently shared an emotional video on her Instagram story addressing the deportation of Mexican immigrants—a post she later deleted.
In the tearful clip, the 32-year-old star reacted to President Donald Trump’s renewed threats of mass deportations, expressing deep concern over the impact on families.
“All my people are being attacked—the children. I don’t understand. I’m so sorry. I wish I could do something, but I don’t know what to do. I’ll try everything, I promise,” Gomez said in the recording.
She captioned the post with an apology and a Mexican flag emoji before taking it down. Later, the Emilia Pérez actress posted another message, stating, “Apparently, it’s not okay to show empathy for people.”
Her response came after a nationwide immigration crackdown led to the arrest of 956 individuals, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Described as the largest operation since Trump’s return to office, the crackdown involved multiple federal agencies with expanded detention powers in cities such as Chicago, Newark, and Miami.
Gomez, a long-time advocate for immigration rights, previously produced the 2019 Netflix documentary Living Undocumented, which highlighted the struggles of undocumented families. She has often spoken about her own family’s immigration story, reflecting on her paternal grandparents’ journey from Mexico to the United States in the 1970s—a history that has shaped her identity.
In a personal essay for Time magazine, she wrote: “Undocumented immigration is an issue I think about every day, and I never forget how blessed I am to have been born in this country thanks to my family and the grace of circumstance.”
As a proud Mexican-American, Gomez has used her platform to advocate for immigrant rights, particularly for those who feel too afraid to speak out. She has also condemned the inhumane conditions in migrant detention centers, especially for children.
In a 2019 Instagram post, she expressed outrage over reports of children sleeping on concrete floors with aluminum blankets, calling the situation “absolutely inhumane.”
During a 2020 virtual commencement speech for immigrant graduates, she reaffirmed her pride in her heritage, saying, “I’m a proud third-generation Mexican-American, and my family’s journeys and sacrifices helped me get to where I am today.”
