‘We have to speak up': Hollywood stars react to Trump's military-backed immigration raids
LOS ANGELES, June 12 — As President Donald Trump's military-backed crackdown on immigrants continues in Los Angeles and across the US, celebrities are speaking out against the tactics and what they say are the intolerant views driving them.
Some pointed to the gulf between Trump's apocalyptic descriptions of a city in flames and the reality of a vast and diverse metropolis where largely peaceful protests are limited to a small part of downtown.
Here's what the glitterati had to say:
'We have to speak up'
Many celebrities touched on the disconnect between Trump's claims about arresting dangerous criminals and raids that appear to be targeting day labourers and factory workers.
'When we're told that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) exists to keep our country safe and remove violent criminals — great,' LA native and reality star Kim Kardashian wrote on social media.
'But when we witness innocent, hardworking people being ripped from their families in inhumane ways, we have to speak up.'
The billionaire behind Skims underwear added: 'Growing up in LA, I've seen how deeply immigrants are woven into the fabric of this city. They are our neighbours, friends, classmates, coworkers and family.
'No matter where you fall politically, it's clear that our communities thrive because of the contributions of immigrants.'
Singer Doechii echoed that sentiment in her acceptance speech for best female hip hop artist at the BET Awards on Sunday.
'There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order. Trump is using military forces to stop a protest,' the Anxiety singer said.
'We all deserve to live in hope and not fear'
'Not an apocalypse'
Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel gave a blistering 12-minute monologue from his studio in the heart of Hollywood, opening with footage of tourists enjoying the nearby attractions and a movie premiere.
'Not only is it not an apocalypse, they're having a Disney/Pixar movie premiere right now for Elio, a movie about aliens — don't tell Trump, he'll send the Green Berets in, too,' the comedian said.
There is something wrong, he said, with innocent people 'being abducted — which is the correct word to use — by agents in masks, hiding their identities, grabbing people off the streets.'
'Un-American'
Grammy- and Oscar-winning musician and producer Finneas, famous for collaborations with sister Billie Eilish and for work on the Barbie movie soundtrack, reported being caught up in a heavy-handed police response at a protest.
'Tear-gassed almost immediately at the very peaceful protest downtown — they're inciting this,' the LA native wrote on Instagram.
'Desperate Housewives' star Eva Longoria, called the raids 'un-American.'
'It's just so inhumane, hard to watch, it's hard, it's hard to witness from afar, I can't imagine what it's like to be in Los Angeles right now,' she wrote on Instagram.
Longoria added that the protests were a result of 'the lack of due process for law-abiding, tax-paying immigrants who have been a part of our community for a very long time.' — AFP
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