White House targets Selena Gomez in video addressing her response to Donald Trump immigration orders

 

Selena Gomez is under attack from the Trump administration.

The Only Murders in the Building actress was the target of a controversial video posted to the official White House social media accounts on Friday night.

The video features three women — Tammy Nobles, Alexis Nungaray, and Patty Morin — whose children were allegedly murdered by undocumented immigrants. In the video, they appear to react to Gomez's recent Instagram post, in which she wept for the treatment of Mexican Americans and immigrants under the new administration.

Representatives for Gomez did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly's requests for comment.

The women in the video cast doubt on Gomez's sincerity and intentions. "Seeing that video, it's hard to believe it's actually genuine and real because she's an actress," Nungaray says.

"I just feel like it's a ruse to deceive people and to garner sympathy for lawlessness," Morin claims.

The video quickly moves to show all three women voicing unwavering support for President Donald Trump and his anti-immigration policies.

"I am so happy that Trump won," Nobles says, while Morin asserts, "President Trump genuinely cares for the American people, and he cares for the American family. We stand with President Trump and making America safe again."

The caption of the post tagged Gomez's handle on Instagram. "[The] courageous mothers had something to say to @SelenaGomez and those who oppose securing our borders," it reads.

The post — which is unusual, as the official White House account seldom targets specific individuals who disagree with new policies — drew widespread criticism from commenters, including actress Eiza González. "What the hell is happening?" the Baby Driver actress wrote. "How is the White House official page posting this? Are you serious?"

Meanwhile, Georgia-based lawyer Alicia Luncheon offered her analysis of the video. "Why is the official White House account exploiting a tragedy for clicks and views?" she asked in the comments. "Selena can absolutely grieve for Laken Riley, who should still be with us today, while also feeling for families being torn apart. This administration hasn’t just targeted immigrants with criminal convictions — they've turned it into propaganda, despite the fact that immigrants do not commit crimes at higher rates."

President Trump recently signed the Laken Riley Act, named for a Georgia nursing student who died after a struggle with Jose Antonio Ibarra, who was ultimately found guilty of her murder in November. Riley's death has been highly politicized due to Ibarra's arrest for illegally entering Texas from Mexico in 2022.

The Laken Riley Act broadens the government's ability to quickly deport undocumented immigrants, as it directs officials to detain any migrant who is merely charged with a crime like burglary or theft, rather than giving suspects due process to wait for convictions.

New Trump-era immigration policies also allow ICE to conduct raids in schools and churches, cancel migrants' appointments with U.S. Border Patrol agents (by entirely removing the CBP One smartphone app that was used to make said appointments), and halting new asylum hearings, reports the BBC.

Gomez, who has Mexican American heritage, has drawn backlash from right-wing commentators for empathizing with affected groups, with one former Senate candidate suggesting the actress "should be deported" on social media, despite the fact that she and both her parents were born in the United States.

Gomez responded to the failed politician in an Instagram Story: "Thanks for the laugh and the threat."