Selena Gomez broke down in tears while speaking about the deportation of Mexican people in a very emotional video on her Instagram Story.
The actress, who is 32 years old, was in tears as she responded to President Donald Trump’s announcement of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. This has sparked concerns about families being separated.
‘All my loved ones are being targeted, especially the children. I am at a loss. I feel helpless and wish I could do something, but I feel powerless. I am willing to try everything I can to help,’ she expressed in a recording that has since been removed.
She captioned the post: ‘I’m sorry [Mexican flag emoji].’
After quickly taking down her post, she shared a message that read: ‘Apparently it’s not ok to show empathy for people.’
Following a ‘nationwide immigration crackdown on Sunday, 956 individuals were detained, marking the largest number of arrests since Trump’s presidency, as reported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).’
The Only Murders in the Building star previously produced a 2019 Netflix documentary, titled Living Undocumented, chronicling the lives of undocumented families in the United States.
At the time, the former Disney Channel star, who was born in Texas, opened up about her family’s own immigration story, which began in the 1970s when her aunt crossed the border from Mexico to America hidden in the back of a truck.
Her paternal grandparents, Ricardo and Mary followed their daughter and, once in the US, they welcomed Selena’s father, who is also called Ricardo.
Her mother, Mandy Teefey, is also a U.S. citizen.
In a personal essay for Time magazine, she shared: ‘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.’
‘But when I read the news headlines or see debates about immigration rage on social media, I feel afraid for those in similar situations. I feel afraid for my country,’ Gomez continued.
The Golden Globe nominee noted as a Mexican-American woman that she feels ‘a responsibility to use’ her platform ‘to be a voice for people who are too afraid to speak.’
‘When I signed on to executive-produce a show about undocumented immigrants, I couldn’t help but anticipate the criticisms I might face. But the truth is, the worst criticism I can imagine is still nothing compared to what undocumented immigrants face every day,’ she explained.
The Rare Beauty reminded her followers that ‘fear shouldn’t stop us from getting involved and educating ourselves on an issue that affects millions of people in our country.’
Gomez has been vocal about concerns over how immigrants are obtained in the United States and previously called out ‘kids in cages’ that were ‘sleeping on concrete floors with aluminum blankets.’
‘No access to simple dignities! How is this still happening??? It’s absolutely inhumane to treat anyone like this let alone children. I can’t even imagine what they are going through. We need to get this to finally stop!’ she wrote in an Instagram post back in 2019.
In 2020, Gomez gave a heartfelt speech for Define American’s Immigrad 2020, a virtual commencement for immigrant graduates.
‘Congratulations to all of the immigrads! I know that this is a virtual ceremony, but it’s very real, and it’s very real to all of the families and all of you and your communities,’ she gushed. ”I want you guys to know that you matter and that your experiences are a huge part of the American story.’
During her speech, the star reflected on her family coming to American from Mexico and setting ‘into motion’ her ‘American story as well as theirs.’
‘I’m a proud, third-generation American-Mexican, and my family’s journeys and their sacrifice helped me get me to where I am today,’ she said proudly.
‘Mine is not a unique story,’ Gomez noted. ‘Each and every one of you have a unique tale of becoming an American, so regardless of where your family is fun, regardless of your immigration status, you have taken action to earn an education to make your families proud and to open up your worlds.’
Gomez recently returned to her roots while preparing for Emilia Pérez as she took Spanish lessons for six months to help her better prepare for her role.
Although she grew up speaking Spanish at home, the actress revealed during an appearance on NPR’s Fresh Air that she lost her fluency of the language after moving to Los Angeles to purse her career in entertainment.
‘I got my first job at 7, and most of my jobs from that point on were English,’ she said during the episode.
‘And I just lost [my Spanish]. That’s kind of the case for a lot of people, especially Mexican American people,’ she explained.
The star added, ‘I wish I just knew a lot more than I do. But I think that’s why I try to honor my culture as much as possible.’
‘From releasing an album in Spanish to wanting to pursue this movie. And I don’t think it’ll be the last thing I do in Spanish,’ Selena expressed.
