Colombian singer Shakira has condemned the Trump administration’s immigration policies, claiming that immigrants in America now live in “constant fear.”
The 48-year-old Grammy winner, who moved to the United States at 19 to pursue her music career, spoke out amid ongoing ICE raids and protests across Los Angeles County.
“It means living in constant fear,” Shakira said of the current immigrant experience in America. “And it’s painful to see.”
Her comments come as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on alleged immigration violations, sparking demonstrations and legal battles between federal and state authorities.
Shakira relocated to Miami from Colombia as a teenager, seeking opportunities to expand her music career, like many other Colombian immigrants pursuing better futures in America.
“I was only 19 when I moved to the US,” she told the BBC, explaining how she immersed herself in American culture through literature.
The singer turned to poetry and writings by Leonard Cohen, Walt Whitman and Bob Dylan to master English. She studied these works to “understand how the English language works within songwriting.
Her efforts paid off spectacularly. Shakira has achieved multiple Top 10 Billboard hits, with Hips Don’t Lie reaching number one, and has won four Grammy Awards.
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The Latin community has faced mounting challenges following Trump’s return to the White House this year.
Los Angeles has become a flashpoint for tensions, with ongoing protests erupting against what demonstrators call unlawful ICE raids throughout the county.
Trump responded by deploying California’s National Guard to suppress the demonstrations.
Governor Gavin Newsom immediately challenged this move, formally demanding the Trump administration “rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles County and return them to my command.”
The dispute has escalated to the courts. An appeals court temporarily blocked a federal judge’s order that would have returned National Guard control to the state, scheduling a hearing for Tuesday.
Despite the climate of fear, Shakira urged solidarity and compassion. “Now, more than ever, we have to remain united,” she told the BBC.
“Now, more than ever, we have to raise our voices and make it very clear that a country can change its immigration policies, but the treatment of all people must always be humane.”
At this year’s Grammy Awards, where she won Best Latin Pop Album for “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran,” Shakira dedicated her trophy to the immigrant community.
“I want to dedicate this award to all my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country,” she said. “You are loved, you are worth it, and I will always fight with you.”
