Screenshot from Instagram
Audio By Carbonatix
Selena Gomez is making headlines after voicing her feelings on social media.
The 32-year-old Dallas-born actress and singer posted a short video to her Instagram story in which she bemoaned President Donald Trump’s harsh crackdown on illegal immigration.
“All my people are getting attacked,” she said between tears in a since-deleted video. “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.”
Gomez’s sentiments were met with equal parts empathy and criticism, predictably coming from either end of the political spectrum. Instagram and YouTube posts sharing a screen recording of the video are littered with reactions from both sides.
Many users accused the actress of faking tears, with references to her “wanting to win an Oscar” and crying “crocodile tears.”
Instagram user @christy.m.monahan wrote: “She’s bawling on the internet because people can no longer break the law? 🤔”
Instagram user @kpossiblee123 countered: “Her hate is insane. She immigrant fans and her grandparents are still technically immigrants even though they have their papers. People just want to hate on her for no reason. I dont see any other latino celebrities saying a word or at least showing some emotion.”
Although she stated that she couldn’t do anything about the situation, Gomez notably executive produced Living Undocumented, a six-episode documentary series for Netflix that follows various immigrant families as they navigate social and legal limbo.
Last week, we spoke to Gabriel Piñon, a Dallas-based musician who released a protest song called “Kids in Cages” to raise awareness of the situation at the border. He pointed us to these three resources for those who want to get involved.
RAICES, which translates to “roots” in Spanish, is a Texas-based immigration reform organization established in 1986. It offers legal counsel to immigrant families, believing that represented families are 10 times more likely to earn a favorable decision in court than unrepresented ones. RAICES is open for donations.
The National Immigrant Justice Center operates similarly to RAICES, but on a national scale. The NIJC has opportunities for pro bono attorneys and internships.
The American Civil Liberties Union is a broader organization that fights for the protection of rights across all political and social lines. In addition to immigration, the ACLU also works to protect transgender, abortion and racial rights. The organization accepts donations and offers easy online ways to take action, including sending messages to local and national legislation.
