Actress Selena Gomez opened up about her thoughts on immigration in a new essay published Tuesday.
Gomez, 27, wrote the essay for TIME magazine after announcing she signed on to be the executive producer of an immigration documentary.
In her essay, Gomez, who comes from a family of immigrants, iterates that immigration isn’t just about politics and that it’s also a human issue.
“It’s the subject of endless arguments and countless news stories,” Gomez said. “But immigration goes beyond politics and headlines. It is a human issue, affecting real people, dismantling real lives. How we deal with it speaks to our humanity, our empathy, our compassion. How we treat our fellow human beings defines who we are.” (RELATED: Selena Gomez Shares First Peek Illegal Immigration Doc Series She Produced)
The “Spring Breakers” actress emphasized that she’s not an expert when it comes to immigration, but she’s trying to learn through projects such as her documentary series “Living Undocumented.”
“It captured the shame, uncertainty, and fear I saw my own family struggle with,” Gomez said of footage used in the film. “But it also captured the hope, optimism, and patriotism so many undocumented immigrants still hold in their hearts despite the hell they go through.”
Gomez admitted she was fearful of criticism when she decided to take on the project.
“When I signed on to executive produce a show about undocumented immigrants, I couldn’t help but anticipate the criticisms I might face,” she wrote. “But the truth is, the worst criticism I can imagine is still nothing compared to what undocumented immigrants face every day.”