In late January 2025, singer and actress Selena Gomez became the center of a political controversy following her emotional response to recent U.S. immigration policies. Gomez, who has Mexican heritage, shared a tearful video on Instagram expressing her distress over the deportation of undocumented immigrants. In the video, she lamented, “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.” She accompanied the post with the caption “I’m sorry” and a Mexican flag emoji.
The video quickly garnered widespread attention, eliciting both support and criticism. Among the critics was Sam Parker, a former Republican Senate candidate from Utah. Parker took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his disapproval, stating, “Deport Selena Gomez.” In a subsequent post, he elaborated, “Selena Gomez picked illegals over America b/c she’s the 3rd gen descendent of Mexican illegals who received citizenship in the ’87 Amnesty. She has an entitlement attitude toward America, like her illegal g’parents. Maybe Selena should be deported, too?”
Gomez, a U.S. citizen born in Texas, responded to Parker’s remarks with a blend of humor and resilience. On her Instagram Stories, she wrote, “Oh Mr. Parker, Mr. Parker. Thanks for the laugh and the threat.”
Parker appeared to revel in the attention, sharing Gomez’s response and commenting, “Inject their tears into my VEINS. I dragged Selena Gomez pretty hard today.”
This incident underscores the deepening divide in the U.S. over immigration policies. Gomez’s public display of empathy highlights the personal connections many Americans have to the issue, while the backlash from figures like Parker reflects the contentious nature of the national debate.
Gomez has been an outspoken advocate for immigrant rights. In 2019, she produced the Netflix documentary “Living Undocumented,” which chronicles the challenges faced by immigrant families under the threat of deportation. In an essay for Time magazine that same year, she wrote, “I feel afraid for those [who are undocumented]. I feel afraid for my country.”
The recent exchange between Gomez and Parker has ignited discussions on social media, with many users expressing support for Gomez’s stance and criticizing Parker’s comments. The incident serves as a reminder of the power of celebrity voices in political discourse and the varied reactions they can provoke.
As the U.S. continues to grapple with complex immigration issues, figures like Gomez play a crucial role in humanizing the debate, while also facing the challenges that come with taking a public stand.
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