Selena Gomez, the 32-year-old actress and singer, took to Instagram on Monday, to share an emotional video expressing her heartbreak over US President Donald Trump’s recent immigration crackdown. The 'Emilia Perez' star broke down in tears as she addressed her followers, offering an apology and her heartfelt thoughts on the ongoing situation.  

In the now-deleted video, Gomez said, “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," while visibly sobbing. She accompanied the video with a caption reading, “I’m sorry," along with a Mexican flag emoji.  

Backlash and response

Following the emotional post, Gomez faced backlash for her remarks, prompting her to share another message on her Instagram Story.

She wrote, “Apparently it’s not ok to show empathy for people," appearing to address the criticism she received after speaking out.  

Largest immigration crackdown under Trump’s administration  

Gomez’s post came on the heels of a large-scale immigration operation carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Over the weekend, ICE conducted a nationwide crackdown, arresting 956 individuals—the largest number since Trump returned to office.  

According to a BBC report citing ICE sources, the operation resulted in 286 arrests on Saturday, 593 on Friday, and 538 on Thursday. The crackdown has drawn sharp criticism from various human rights groups and immigration advocates, further intensifying public debate.  

Advocacy for immigration rights 

Gomez has long been an outspoken advocate for immigrant rights. In 2019, she produced the Netflix docuseries 'Living Undocumented', which highlighted the struggles and stories of undocumented families living in the United States.  

While her emotional Instagram video has since been removed, it has sparked widespread conversation online, with many fans and followers showing support for her empathy and courage to speak out.