The administration under Donald Trump has issued a firm response to a heartfelt video shared by Selena Gomez on Instagram, where the singer and actress expressed her sorrow over recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. In response, the White House released its own video featuring three mothers whose daughters were allegedly murdered by undocumented immigrants, challenging Gomez's perspective.
Shared by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on social media, the video intersperses clips of Gomez with testimonials from Tammy Nobles, Patty Morin, and Alexis Nungaray. "You have no idea who you are crying for," remarked Nobles, whose daughter, Kathy Hamilton, was killed in Maryland by Salvadoran immigrant Walter Javier Martínez. "What about our children, who were brutally murdered, raped, and left to die by these illegal immigrants?" she questioned.
Gomez's video, initially posted on her Instagram story and later removed, showed her in tears stating, "I am so sorry, I wish I could do something, but I can't. I don't know what to do. I will try everything, I promise." However, the White House and the mothers featured in the rebuttal video argue that Gomez's message lacks balance and fails to acknowledge the pain of the victims' families.
Patty Morin, whose daughter Rachel Morin was murdered in 2023, described Gomez's video as "a ploy to deceive people and garner sympathy for anarchy." Rachel, a mother of five, was found dead along the Ma and Pa trail in Maryland. Her alleged killer, Víctor Antonio Martínez-Hernández, reportedly entered the United States illegally after escaping El Salvador, where he was wanted for another murder, according to Maryland officials.
Meanwhile, Alexis Nungaray, whose 12-year-old daughter Jocelyn Nungaray was killed in Houston in June 2024, doubted Gomez's sincerity. "It's hard to trust what she said in her video because she is an actress," she commented. Johan José Martínez-Rangel and Franklin Peña were charged with capital murder in Jocelyn's case, both with ICE holds due to immigration violations.
The tragic case of Jocelyn also became a contentious topic between Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden during last year's campaign. Trump blamed Biden's border policies for her death, while Biden's team retorted by pointing out Trump's obstruction of a bipartisan immigration reform deal in Congress.
The White House has emphasized its stance on social media, asserting that Gomez's video downplays the security threats posed by illegal immigration. Nobles and Morin criticized Gomez for what they perceive as her lack of empathy. "They didn't cry for our daughters," Nobles stated.
The fallout from the controversy is already impacting Gomez's popularity. Since posting and then removing her video, she has lost over 120,000 followers on Instagram. According to the platform CritiqueJeu, she has seen a drop of up to 800,000 followers in the past month, coinciding with her increasing criticism of Trump and her involvement in the controversial film Emilia Pérez.
Impact of Selena Gomez's Video on Immigration Debate
What was Selena Gomez's reaction to the ICE raids?
Selena Gomez expressed her sadness and helplessness over the ICE raids in a video on Instagram, which she later deleted.
How did the White House respond to Gomez's video?
The White House released a video featuring mothers of victims allegedly killed by undocumented immigrants, challenging Gomez's message.
What are the criticisms against Selena Gomez's message?
Critics argue Gomez's message is biased and fails to acknowledge the suffering of families whose children were victims of crimes by undocumented immigrants.
How has the controversy affected Selena Gomez's popularity?
Since the controversy, Gomez has lost a significant number of followers on Instagram, with reports of up to 800,000 unfollows.