Flavor Flav defends Selena Gomez after emotional video: 'So many are quick to bully'

Flavor Flav is coming to Selena Gomez's defense after the singer was criticized for crying on social media in a viral video over reports of deportations and raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement nationwide.

On Monday, the rapper said he was "Team Selena Gomez" after the "Emilia Pérez" actress uploaded and then deleted a video of herself crying over President Donald Trump's follow-through on his campaign promise to mass deport people living in the U.S. without legal status.

"That woman is always so brave to share her truth," Flav wrote on X, formerly Twitter, adding that "so many are quick to bully her."

In a video that was reportedly posted to, and subsequently deleted from, her Instagram story earlier this week, the Golden Globe-nominated actress wiped away tears as she told her followers "I'm so sorry" and mourned how "All my people are getting attacked."

"The children — I don't understand," the 32-year-old said, per screen recordings shared on social media, including by @PopBase. "I'm so sorry, I wish I could do something for the kids. I don't know what to do. I'll try everything, I promise."

'Society encourages cruelty': Internet reacts to Selena Gomez's emotional video

Selena Gomez, politician Sam Parker trade words on social media over deportation

In response to the video, U.S. Senate candidate Sam Parker, who ran for a seat and lost in Utah, also took to X to call for the Texas-born singer's deportation.

"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.

Gomez, a U.S. citizen who cannot be deported, hit Parker back and posted an Instagram story that read, "Oh Mr. Parker, Mr. Parker. Thanks for the laugh and the threat."

Elsewhere on social media, Gomez was criticized for her celebrity status and for having the resources to potentially use her platform for immigration advocacy. As one X user wrote, "You have the resources to do a lot," suggesting the singer could help "fund legal services, translation services, permanently fund mutual aid programs, direct action that disrupts raids, immigration assistance programs that facilitate these folks’ on their way in etc."

'I'm so sorry': Selena Gomez cries in video reacting to Donald Trump's immigration orders

But another X user shared that the "hatred for Selena Gomez for showing empathy for being deported is disgusting."

"Our society encourages cruelty, and mocks kindness. She comes from a family of immigrants and has made a documentary about this issue about which she feels passionate," they continued.

Gomez has been vocal about immigration policy in the U.S. in years past. In 2019, She served as executive producer of the Netflix docuseries "Living Undocumented," which follows the lives of eight undocumented families living in the United States.

Trump's stance on immigration reform made clear in first week

In his first week in office, Trump declared a national border emergency; deployed 1,500 troops to the border, including a combat force; and deputized thousands more federal law enforcement officers to arrest immigrants, among other moves.

More: Paola Ramos explores the effects of Trumpism on the Latino vote in her book 'Defectors'

The emergency declaration came as illegal border crossings are at their lowest level in more than five years. In early January, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported roughly 1,000 migrant encounters daily, from California to Texas – down 75% from a year ago.

Despite a pledge to reduce illegal immigration during his first term, Trump never achieved the level or annual pace of deportations that President Barack Obama did. The Department of Homeland Security recorded around 2 million deportations during Trump's first term and 2.1 million during Obama's second term.

Read: 13 books to break down the immigration debate amid Trump's return to power

Under the Biden administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement focused on arresting those who represented public safety and national security threats.

Last week, Trump and Congress – under the new Laken Riley Act – shifted the priority for immigration enforcement to more people in the U.S. without legal status, including those without serious criminal offenses, mandating detention for people accused, charged with or convicted of low-level crimes. Trump also declared criminal cartels as "global terrorist groups," allowing the deployment of the military.

Contributing: KiMi Robinson, Lauren Villagran, Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Selena Gomez viral video of her crying gets Flavor Flav support