Selena Gomez is not backing down from using her platform to advocate for mental health and social justice.
Despite facing backlash earlier this year for sharing a video of herself crying over the mᴀss deportations of undocumented immigrants, the actress, 32, defended her choice to criticize President Donald Trump’s administration.
In a new interview with Billboard, the Call Me When You Break Up hitmaker explained that she believes ‘at the end of the day’ it ‘matters to be vocal about issues that matter to you whether you are famous or not.’
‘It’s not for the faint of heart, because you are putting yourself out there and trust me there will be a lot of opinions that come at you for even having the nerve to say anything at all,’ she explained.
After sharing her emotional plea supporting undocumented immigrants in January, Gomez was publicly slammed by The White House and a number of Republican politicians, including Sam Parker, a 2018 Republican Senate candidate from Utah.
In response to the former Disney Channel star’s post about the immigration raids, the White House shared a video тιтled: ‘Moms of Victims of Illegal Aliens SLAM Selena Gomez: You Didn’t Cry for Our Daughters.’
Selena Gomez is not backing down from using her platform to advocate for mental health and social justice; seen in December 2024
In the recording, three moms of the kids, who were allegedly killed by undocumented individuals, reacted to Gomez’s video crying over deportations.
Through sobs, Gomez tells her fans: ‘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. I don’t know what to do. I’ll try everything, I promise.’
Read MoreEXCLUSIVE Inside Selena Gomez’s decision to delete crying video about migrants 
Although the Only Murders in the Building star did not address the public outcry over her since-deleted video in her latest interview, she did reflect on initially feeling scared ‘to be that vulnerable’ about her ‘own personal mental health.’
Gomez, who has publicly discussed struggling with bipolar disorder and anxiety, explained she doesn’t ‘ever want anyone to think’ of her as a victim.
‘I thought [that] by sharing my own story I could help others, and I will take any negative opinions that come with that because I see the bigger picture of how the conversations have changed around mental health,’ she stressed.
As for the advice she would give the new generation of artists, Gomez told Billboard she would recommend they focus on ‘blocking out the noise and being true’ to themselves.
‘The noise can be overwhelming, and I am not saying it’s easy but by doing that and not compromising who you are, it goes a long way,’ she said.
Earlier in her interview, she explained that her ‘Mexican heritage is something that has influenced’ her ‘entire life.’
Despite facing backlash earlier this year for sharing a video of herself crying over the mᴀss deportations of undocumented immigrants, the actress, 32, defended her choice to criticize President Donald Trump’s administration
In a new interview with Billboard , the Call Me When You Break Up hitmaker explained that she believes ‘at the end of the day’ it ‘matters to be vocal about issues that matter to you whether you are famous or not’
‘It’s not lost on me how representation matters,’ she said. ‘Throughout the years I’ve been doing this, some of the most supportive women in the entertainment business I have met have been other Latin women. I love the bond we all have.’
The Grammy nominee previously produced a 2019 Netflix documentary, тιтled Living Undocumented, chronicling the lives of undocumented families in the United States.
At the time, the former Disney Channel star, who was born in Texas, opened up about her family’s own immigration story, which began in the 1970s when her aunt crossed the border from Mexico to America hidden in the back of a truck.
Her paternal grandparents, Ricardo and Mary followed their daughter and, once in the US, they welcomed Selena’s father, who is also called Ricardo.
Her mother, Mandy Teefey, is also a U.S. citizen.
In a personal essay for Time magazine, she shared: ‘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,’ Gomez continued.
The Golden Globe nominee noted as a Mexican-American woman that she feels ‘a responsibility to use’ her platform ‘to be a voice for people who are too afraid to speak.’
‘It’s not for the faint of heart, because you are putting yourself out there and trust me there will be a lot of opinions that come at you for even having the nerve to say anything at all,’ she explained; seen in 2025
‘When I signed on to executive-produce a show about undocumented immigrants, I couldn’t help but anticipate the criticisms I might face. But the truth is, the worst criticism I can imagine is still nothing compared to what undocumented immigrants face every day,’ she explained.
The Rare Beauty reminded her followers that ‘fear shouldn’t stop us from getting involved and educating ourselves on an issue that affects millions of people in our country.’
Gomez has been vocal about concerns over how immigrants are obtained in the United States and previously called out ‘kids in cages’ that were ‘sleeping on concrete floors with aluminum blankets.’
‘No access to simple dignities! How is this still happening??? It’s absolutely inhumane to treat anyone like this let alone children. I can’t even imagine what they are going through. We need to get this to finally stop!’ she wrote in an Instagram post back in 2019.
Although the Only Murders in the Building star did not address the public outcry over her since-deleted video in her latest interview, she did reflect on initially feeling scared ‘to be that vulnerable’ about her ‘own personal mental health’ (pictured last month)
In 2020, Gomez gave a heartfelt speech for Define American’s Immigrad 2020, a virtual commencement for immigrant graduates.
‘Congratulations to all of the immigrads! I know that this is a virtual ceremony, but it’s very real, and it’s very real to all of the families and all of you and your communities,’ she gushed. ”I want you guys to know that you matter and that your experiences are a huge part of the American story.’
During her speech, the star reflected on her family coming to American from Mexico and setting ‘into motion’ her ‘American story as well as theirs.’
‘I’m a proud, third-generation American-Mexican, and my family’s journeys and their sacrifice helped me get me to where I am today,’ she said proudly.
‘Mine is not a unique story,’ Gomez noted. ‘Each and every one of you have a unique tale of becoming an American, so regardless of where your family is fun, regardless of your immigration status, you have taken action to earn an education to make your families proud and to open up your worlds.’
Gomez, who has publicly discussed struggling with bipolar disorder and anxiety, explained she doesn’t ‘ever want anyone to think’ of her as a victim (pictured in 2019)
Gomez recently returned to her roots while preparing for Emilia Pérez as she took Spanish lessons for six months to help her better prepare for her role.
Although she grew up speaking Spanish at home, the actress revealed during an appearance on NPR’s Fresh Air that she lost her fluency of the language after moving to Los Angeles to purse her career in entertainment.
‘I got my first job at 7, and most of my jobs from that point on were English,’ she said during the episode.
‘And I just lost [my Spanish]. That’s kind of the case for a lot of people, especially Mexican American people,’ she explained.
The star added, ‘I wish I just knew a lot more than I do. But I think that’s why I try to honor my culture as much as possible.’
‘From releasing an album in Spanish to wanting to pursue this movie. And I don’t think it’ll be the last thing I do in Spanish,’ Selena expressed.
