Selena Gomez is speaking out as President Donald Trump's administration continues to put a focus on immigration.
Following Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration, he signed a number of executive orders that laid the groundwork for mass deportations across the country. In response, the Emilia Pérez actress—who has proudly put a spotlight on her Mexican heritage over the years—broke down in tears in an Instagram Story video Jan. 27 as she told her followers, "I'm so sorry."
“All my people are getting attacked," she cried. "The children, they 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," Gomez concluded, "I promise."
The 32-year-old captioned the video, which has since been deleted, "I'm sorry," along with a Mexican flag emoji.
In a follow up Instagram Story, Gomez, a third-generation American-Mexican, seemingly addressed criticism of her video, writing, "Apparently it's not ok to show empathy for people."
Gomez has used her platform to shine a light on her heritage, even releasing Spanish-language album Revelación in 2021. That same year, Gomez reflected on her family history in YouTube Music's Artist Spotlight Stories.
"I wanted to share my story because I'm very proud of who I am," she said in the video. "As a Mexican woman, I've learned so much and I continue to learn so much."
In 2019, prior to the 2020 Presidential Election between Trump and Joe Biden, Gomez penned an essay for TIME on immigration.
"In the 1970s, my aunt crossed the border from Mexico to the United States hidden in the back of a truck," she began. "My grandparents followed, and my father was born in Texas soon after. In 1992, I was born a U.S. citizen thanks to their bravery and sacrifice."
"Over the past four decades, members of my family have worked hard to gain United States citizenship," Gomez, who took part in Netflix's 2019 Living Undocumented documentary, continued. "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. But 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."