Shakira is speaking out about the “constant fear” that immigrants face in the United States today amid President Donald Trump‘s aggressive immigration policies.
The Colombian-born singer, 48, recently spoke with BBC News about how the U.S. has changed since she moved to Miami as a teenager to expand her music career.
“I was only 19 when I moved to the US, like many other Colombian immigrants who come to this country looking for a better future,” she said, adding that she relied on poetry and written works from Leonard Cohen, Walt Whitman and Bob Dylan to learn English and help “understand how the English language works within songwriting.”
Shakira has risen to international fame over the years, scoring multiple Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as her song “Hips Don’t Lie” peaking at No. 1. She has also earned four Grammy Awards, including best Latin pop album for Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran at the 2025 Grammys earlier this year.
However, this year has also been notably challenging for the Latin community amid Trump’s return to the White House, as his administration prioritizes cracking down on alleged immigration violations. Most recently, there have been ongoing protests in Los Angeles against unlawful immigration ICE raids across the county.
“It means living in constant fear,” Shakira said of living in the U.S. today. “And it’s painful to see.”
“Now, more than ever, we have to remain united,” she added. “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.”
Earlier this year, Shakira also dedicated her Grammy Award “to all my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country,” adding, “You are loved, you are worth it, and I will always fight with you.”
In response to the L.A. protests, Trump deployed California’s National Guard to quell the demonstrations. However, California Gov. Gavin Newsom pushed back, formally requesting that the Trump Administration “rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles County and return them to my command.” The case is currently making its way through the courts, with the appeals court temporarily blocking a federal judge’s order that directed Trump to return control of National Guard troops back to the state. The appeals court said it would hold a hearing on Tuesday.