Why Is Selena Gomez the Only Celebrity Reacting to Mass Deportations?

Get the Full StoryIt's only been a week since Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States, and yet it feels as though the country has already taken a sharp turn for the worse. During his inauguration ceremony, Trump voiced alarming - but not surprising - sentiments about deporting millions of undocumented immigrants and revoking birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants.

Since Trump officially went into power, we have seen the Gulf of Mexico's name actually change in a matter of days to the Gulf of America. Military flights carrying deported Colombian migrants landed in Colombia on Sunday as part of a nationwide immigration crackdown that resulted in the arrest of at least 956 immigrants. And companies like Target have already dropped their DEI initiatives.

Amid the chaos, a troubling silence has fallen over those in positions of influence, particularly in Hollywood. Celebrities who were outspoken during the election - rallying behind campaigns, endorsing candidates, and encouraging voter turnout - now seem to have retreated into the background. That's why it was so meaningful to see a highly emotional response from Selena Gomez, who recently shared a tearful Instagram video about the mass deportations and impacts on Mexican immigrants specifically.

"I just wanna say that I'm so sorry," Gomez, who is Mexican American, says while struggling to fight back tears in the video posted to her Instagram Story. "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."

However, after facing backlash to the video, Gomez quickly deleted the video and posted another Instagram Story that read, "Apparently, it's not ok to show empathy for people."

While it's unclear what exactly happened to make her want to delete the video, the whole situation is extremely concerning - the fact that we haven't seen many other celebrities or public figures call out or even react to the immigration arrests and deportations is unacceptable. Gomez was brave enough to post her emotional truth, but the response shows how we all must join in the fight and use our voices.

The silence from those in power is deafening at a time when democracy itself is precarious.

The silence from those in power is deafening at a time when democracy itself is precarious. With policies directly targeting immigrants, people of color, women, and the LGBTQ community, now is not the time for celebrities with huge followings to be complacent. Now is the time for action, for using platforms to amplify truths, for holding power to account. Unity, collective resistance, and a little bravery from our favorite stars are what America needs now more than ever.

Johanna Ferreira is the content director for PS Juntos. With more than 10 years of experience, Johanna focuses on how intersectional identities are a central part of Latine culture. Previously, she spent close to three years as the deputy editor at HipLatina, and she has freelanced for numerous outlets including Refinery29, Oprah magazine, Allure, InStyle, and Well Good. She has also moderated and spoken on numerous panels on Latine identity.

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