Selena Gomez has responded to U.S. Senate candidate Sam Parker’s controversial call for her deportation with a mix of humor and resilience. The pop star found herself in the political crossfire after sharing an emotional video addressing the impact of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
In the video, Gomez—who is of Mexican and Italian descent—tearfully apologized to those affected by the policies, saying, “All my people are getting attacked, the children. I don’t understand.” While her message garnered support, it also invited backlash, including from Parker, who accused her of siding with undocumented immigrants.
Parker tweeted from an alternate account, “Selena Gomez picked illegals over America… Maybe Selena should be deported, too.” He later doubled down, posting on his campaign account, “Deport Selena Gomez.”
Deport Selena Gomez. https://t.co/QkkDIBWBKD
— Sam Parker 🇺🇲 (@SamParkerSenate) January 27, 2025
Rather than stay silent, Gomez fired back on Instagram Stories, writing, “Oh Mr. Parker, Mr. Parker. Thanks for the laugh, and the threat.”
Photo: Instagram/@selenagomez
After Gomez posted the video, internet users also chimed in with their opinions with some people including controversial British media personality, Piers Morgan criticising the singer for her 'fake activism'.
Posting yourself weeping over illegal immigrant criminals being deported is a new level of absurd celebrity narcissism. https://t.co/ST5vlke3wL
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 27, 2025
I can’t take her fake activism seriously anymore. https://t.co/VSEI2JwEP2 pic.twitter.com/wmDTeg5ygK
— JONETI (@jarianaoutdid) January 27, 2025
i opened the video without reading the caption and i thought she was apologizing for emilia perez😭 https://t.co/11bmCn88TB
— ً (@bloodanya) January 27, 2025
Others empathised with Gomez and expressed shock at the blatant xenophobia from an American politician.
The way Mexicans have been claiming she is not Latina, hating on her, and making fun of her illness for the past months while she's crying for them, Selena they can never make me hate you https://t.co/7Mr9jLBi8L
— ✮ (@raresblvd) January 27, 2025
I’m literally shocked at how normalized racism and xenophobia is in america, how can a politician freely say something like this ? deported where ? back to Texas ? Moron https://t.co/cioWXrVMPj
— nicholas (@whereisrauli) January 27, 2025
The backlash ultimately forced Gomez to delete the original video, later expressing frustration, “Apparently, it’s not OK to show empathy for people.”
Born in Grand Prairie, Texas, Gomez is a natural-born U.S. citizen. In a past interview with Define American, she proudly identified as a “third-generation American-Mexican.”
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