Selena Gomez is facing backlash after sharing a video on her Instagram where she was seen crying in response to the latest immigration policies issued by the United States’ current administration.
“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,” the 32-year-old said.
“I don’t know what to do. I’ll try everything, I promise.”
“I don’t know what to do. I’ll try everything, I promise.”
Highlights
- Selena Gomez faced backlash after posting a video crying about immigration policies.
- Critics accuse Gomez of making the issue about her instead of focusing on impacted lives.
- Gomez deleted her video and followed up with a message addressing the criticism.
While the actress’ intentions and tears may have been genuine, the reaction on social media was far from supportive, with many users accusing Gomez of putting herself at the center of a situation that wasn’t about her.
“Selena always finds a way to make it about her feelings. This isn’t the time for performative tears, it’s about real lives being affected,” one netizen wrote.
Selena Gomez was forced to delete a video of her crying about immigration after netizens accused of “making it about herself”
Image credits: Gilbert Flores/Getty Images
“Instead of crying on camera, maybe Selena should use her platform to share resources, donate, or raise awareness in a more constructive way,” another user argued. “Celebrities crying into their phones doesn’t help at all.”
The backlash got so bad that Gomez was forced to delete her video, posting a follow-up story with a black background that read: “Apparently it’s not ok to show empathy for people.”
Image credits: selenagomez
Gomez is not a stranger to showing her emotions publicly, becoming known for wearing them on her sleeve in videos and charitable events.
The actress has made an effort in the past to connect herself to the plight of immigrants, emotionally sharing her family’s immigration story in a 2019 Netflix docuseries called Living Undocumented.
Image credits: selenagomez
Gomez was also recently snubbed at the Oscars, receiving no nominations for her work, which some of her fans believe has put an extra layer of pressure on her shoulders, making the recent news about immigration hit much harder.
“Oh Selena. You can show empathy without making it a spectacle. When you make it a dramatic spectacle, you make it less about the cause and more about you,” a user wrote.
The actress has contributed to many charities over the years, delivering emotional speeches at events and fundraisers
Image credits: selenagomez
The actress has made a conscious effort to participate in as many charities as possible, including UNICEF and the Rare Impact Fund, a non-profit dedicated to fund research on mental health issues.
Image credits: selenagomez
For instance, in October 2024, Gomez similarly cried on camera during a charity event, after a young fan introduced her as someone who “leads generations with confidence, style, and grace.”
Image credits: selenagomez
The emotional moment came after the singer announced that the sales of her makeup brand, Rare Beauty, will go towards helping the Rare Impact Fund with their efforts.
“Your support means so much to me, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have the opportunity to #MakeARareImpact for the second year. Thank you guys,” she said.
Despite her emotional transparency, both fans and critics agreed that her crying publicly over the delicate matter of immigration was doing more harm than good.
Many pointed out that the center of attention should be on the consequences of the measure, rather than her feelings this time around.
"She's an angel." While many criticized her for crying on Instagram, others offered words of encouragement and thanked her for her charity work
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