Selena Gomez’s Emotional Plea Dismissed by Trump’s ‘Border Czar’
Selena Gomez faced backlash after sharing an emotional Instagram video addressing immigration policies. Though she later deleted the video, the singer and actress briefly returned to social media to defend her stance, writing, “Apparently it’s not OK to show empathy for people.” That post was also eventually removed.
The controversy coincides with preparations by the Mexican government for a surge in deportees expected under the reinstated “Remain in Mexico” policy from Donald Trump’s first term. The policy requires asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their U.S. immigration cases are processed.
Thomas Homan, a former immigration official and Trump’s “border czar,” defended the policy in an interview with Fox News, asserting it would enhance community safety. “We’re going to make our community safer… It is all for the good of this nation. No apologies. We’re moving forward,” Homan said, emphasizing that arrests primarily target individuals posing national or public security threats. However, he acknowledged that undocumented individuals caught in broader raids would also face deportation.
Homan criticized Gomez directly, questioning her priorities. “Where are her tears for the half a million children who were sex trafficked into this country, separated from their families, and smuggled by criminal cartels? This administration can’t even find over 300,000 of them,” he said.
Fans Rally, Critics Respond
Despite the backlash, many of Gomez’s fans and public figures, such as rapper Flavor Flav, supported her. Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Flavor Flav wrote, “Team Selena Gomez. Again. That woman is always so brave to share her truth, and so many are quick to bully her.”
However, others were less sympathetic. Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly accused Gomez of being out of touch. “She deleted it after her fans taught her that the majority of the country supports these policies. I’m sure she was shocked to get any blowback whatsoever,” Kelly remarked on The Megyn Kelly Show.
A History of Advocacy
Gomez, a Texas native with over 400 million Instagram followers, has been a vocal advocate for immigration reform. In 2019, she produced the Netflix documentary series Living Undocumented, which chronicled the lives of eight immigrant families in the U.S.
Currently starring in the hit Disney series Only Murders in the Building, Gomez recently received a BAFTA nomination for her role in the musical film Emilia Perez.