Selena Gomez Told by Border Czar to Cry to Congress as Senate Hopeful Calls for Deportation
President Donald Trump’s newly appointed border czar has responded to Selena Gomez and others who are decrying the arrests of hundreds of migrants across the country, telling anyone objecting to the mass operation to take their complaints to lawmakers, as Gomez is fending off attacks from Trump supporters and a Republican former Senate candidate.
In response to Gomez and others objecting to the ICE raids over the weekend, an unapologetic Tom Homan told Fox News on Monday afternoon that anyone with a problem with the enhanced operations should “go to Congress and change the law.”
More from The Hollywood Reporter
On Monday, Gomez posted a reaction video as news broke that ICE carried out 956 arrests on Sunday and around 1,100 arrests on Monday, more than tripling former President Joe Biden’s daily arrest rate amid Trump’s crackdown, as the agency conducted enhanced targeted operations in cities including Chicago, Newark and Dallas. The raids come after Trump signed a series of executive orders upon entering the Oval Office, 21 of which relate to immigration policy; they included one designating drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and another declaring a national emergency at the southern border.
In her Instagram video, which she quickly deleted following overwhelming backlash from Trump supporters, the Emilia Pérez actress sobbed as she spoke to the camera for 31 seconds.
“All my people are getting attacked … the children,” Gomez, who was born in Texas to parents of Mexican and Italian descent, told her 422 million followers. “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 has advocated for migrants for years. In 2019, she executive produced a Netflix series, Living Undocumented, which brings into focus the lives of eight undocumented immigrant families in the United States. Upon its release, Gomez wrote in a Time magazine op-ed that the series conveys “the shame, uncertainty and fear I saw my own family struggle with. But it also captured the hope, optimism and patriotism so many undocumented immigrants still hold in their hearts despite the hardships they endure.”
After deleting the video on Monday, the 32-year-old star said, “Apparently, it’s not OK to show empathy for people.”
Homan, who is returning as border czar under Trump after serving as ICE’s acting director during the first Trump administration from 2017 to 2018, responded swiftly on Fox News on Monday afternoon as the hundreds of arrests and raids continued across the country.
“I don’t think we arrested any families,” he said in reaction to Gomez’s video. “We’ve arrested public safety threats and national security threats. Bottom line: We’re going to do this job, and we’re going to enforce the laws of this country. If they don’t like it, then go to Congress and change the law. We’re going to operate without apology. We’re going to make our community safer.”
Appearing on Fox News’ Hannity on Monday night, Homan reiterated his comments.
“We got a half a million children who were sex trafficked into this country, separated from their families, and placed in the hands of criminal cartels to be smuggled into the country. This administration can’t find over 300,000,” he stated. “Where are the tears for them?”
On Tuesday, Gomez responded to Republican former Senate candidate Sam Parker, who called for the singer’s removal from the country in a post on X (formerly Twitter). In an Instagram Story, the actor and singer wrote, “Oh Mr. Parker, Mr. Parker. Thanks for the laugh and the threat.”
On Monday, Parker, a 2018 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. Senate from Utah, posted on X: “Selena Gomez picked illegals over America because she’s the third-generation descendant of Mexican illegals who received citizenship in the ’87 Amnesty. She has an entitlement attitude toward America, like her illegal [grandparents]. Maybe Selena should be deported, too?”
Later on Monday, Parker seemed elated by the reaction his post received, sharing a screengrab of the star’s Instagram Stories post and writing, “Selena Gomez has responded to me.”
An email sent to the firm representing Gomez by The Hollywood Reporter seeking comment did not immediately receive a reply on Tuesday.
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.