Selena Gomez has responded to the Republican politician who claimed that she should be deported after she shared an emotional video.

In case you’re unfamiliar with this story, Gomez, whose father is of Mexican descent, was visibly distraught in the footage as she reacted to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that took place over the weekend.

Selena Gomez has been vocal about the deportations. Credit: David Crotty / Getty

According to the BBC, these operations resulted in the arrest of 956 undocumented individuals in major cities over just three days.

“I’m so sorry. All my people are getting attacked,” Gomez tearfully said in the video. “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.”

The video also included a text overlay with the message “I’m sorry,” alongside a Mexican flag emoji.

Although the clip was quickly deleted, it sparked backlash from conservative commentators.

In response, Gomez addressed the criticism, writing: “Apparently, it’s not okay to show empathy for people.”

One of the most vocal detractors was U.S. Senate candidate Sam Parker, who took to X (formerly Twitter) with a controversial remark: “Deport Selena Gomez.”

The statement was widely condemned, given that Gomez is a U.S. citizen born in Texas.

Parker later doubled down on his comments, sharing an Instagram post in which he boasted about his remarks and described himself as being in a “war against a bunch of r******* Selena Gomez fans.”

Gomez did not stay silent, responding to Parker’s comments via Instagram Stories. “Oh Mr. Parker, Mr. Parker. Thanks for the laugh and the threat,” she wrote.

Immigration enforcement has been a contentious issue across multiple administrations. According to the Migration Policy Institute, via the BBC, former President Joe Biden oversaw 1.5 million deportations during his first four years—figures that “mirror the deportation numbers in Trump’s first term.”

Gomez has long been outspoken on immigration issues, particularly due to her family’s own experiences. In 2019, she produced the Netflix docuseries Living Undocumented, which highlighted the struggles of undocumented families in the U.S.

Selena Gomez addressed Parker’s remarks on Instagram. Credit: Selena Gomez / Instagram Story

That same year, she penned an op-ed for Time in which she revealed her aunt was the first in her family to cross the U.S.-Mexico border in the back of a truck in the 1970s. “My grandparents followed, and my father was born in Texas soon after,” she wrote.

“Undocumented immigration is an issue I think about every day, and I never forget how blessed I am to have been born in this country thanks to my family and the grace of circumstance,” she added.

Reflecting on the families featured in Living Undocumented, Gomez wrote: “When I read the news headlines or see debates about immigration rage on social media, I feel afraid for those in similar situations. I feel afraid for my country.”