Former Utah Senate candidate Sam Parker has ignited controversy after publicly calling for Selena Gomez to be deported. His remarks, made on X (formerly Twitter), followed the singer’s emotional reaction to mass deportations under the Trump administration.
Parker, who lost his 2018 Senate bid, wrote, “Deport Selena Gomez,” on his social media account, sparking intense backlash.
Gomez’s Emotional Reaction to Trump’s Deportations
The controversy began after Gomez, 31, shared a tearful Instagram video addressing the deportations of undocumented immigrants.
“I just want to say that I am so sorry,” Gomez said in the video. “All my people are getting attacked. The children—I don’t understand. I wish I could do something.”
Her video, which was later deleted, received mixed responses. While many praised her for showing compassion, others criticized her for what they viewed as a politically charged stance.
Parker seized on her remarks, doubling down on his anti-immigration rhetoric by linking his official X account, @SamParkerSenate, to a post from an alternate handle, @BasedSamParker. In that post, he accused Gomez of prioritizing undocumented immigrants over U.S. citizens.
“Selena Gomez picked illegals over America b/c she’s the 3rd gen descendent of Mexican illegals who received citizenship in the ’87 Amnesty,” Parker wrote.
“She has an entitlement attitude toward America, like her illegal [grand]parents,” he continued. “Maybe Selena should be deported, too?”
Selena Gomez’s Advocacy for Immigrant Families
Gomez, whose father is of Mexican descent, has long been vocal about immigration issues.
In 2019, she produced the Netflix documentary Living Undocumented, which chronicled the struggles of undocumented families in the U.S. She also wrote an op-ed for Time magazine, discussing her family’s immigrant roots and urging for compassionate immigration policies.
“I understand it’s flawed and that we need rules and regulations, but we also have to remember that our country was formed by people who came here from other countries,” Gomez wrote in Time.
“It’s time to listen to the people whose lives are being directly affected by immigration policies,” she added. “It’s time to get to know the individuals whose complex stories have been reduced to basic headlines.”
Backlash Against Parker’s Comments
While Parker’s comments received some support from far-right conservatives, many online users condemned his remarks as xenophobic and inflammatory.
“Why is a failed politician attacking a pop star over basic human empathy?” one user asked.
Others noted that Gomez is an American citizen by birth, making Parker’s deportation call both inaccurate and absurd.
Meanwhile, Gomez has yet to publicly respond to Parker’s remarks. However, she did address criticism over her emotional reaction, writing in a separate post:
“Apparently it’s not ok to show empathy for people.”
As the debate over U.S. immigration policy continues, Gomez remains a high-profile advocate for immigrant families, despite facing political backlash.
Jaja has a degree in journalism and took classes in international law and business communication. Her career spans roles at prominent international media outlets, including International Business Times, Celebeat and Delightful Philippines. As a news editor, Jaja covered a wide range of beats, including legal, business, economy, cryptocurrency, personal finance, gaming, technology, and entertainment.