“We have to do what's right.” — Kim Kardashian speaks up against the ICE raids in Los Angeles via her IG story

In early June 2025, officers from the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency raided several places in Los Angeles. This led to protests all around the nation. As the community's anger and stories of destroyed families spread, many well-known figures began to speak out. Kim Kardashian, the reality TV star and business mogul, has been among the vocal opponents of the enforcement's methods. She used her Instagram Story on June 10 to call for a more humane way to enforce immigration laws.

Kim Kardashian speaks up against the ICE raids in Los Angeles: More details

ICE started Operation Safe Communities on June 6, 2025, aiming to get rid of illegal immigrants who had been arrested for crimes. They arrested 44 people in Los Angeles. Protests grew swiftly, with hundreds of people taking to the streets of downtown and setting up camps outside their offices. In reaction to nightly skirmishes with local police, Trump authorized the deployment of the National Guard and around 700 U.S. Marines, according to The Independent.

This was the first time in modern California history that the military was called up to deal with a domestic problem. California Governor Gavin Newsom openly challenged the federal action in court.

Kim Kardashian, whose Instagram account has more than 356 million followers, posted a brief but powerful message on the night of June 10. She wrote in her story:

“When we’re told that ICE exists to keep our country safe and remove violent criminals—great. But when we witness innocent, hardworking people being ripped from their families in inhumane ways, we have to speak up. We have to do what’s right.”

She then spoke about the different immigrant groups that make Los Angeles special:

“Growing up in LA, I’ve seen how deeply immigrants are woven into the fabric of this city. They are our neighbors, friends, classmates, coworkers, and family. No matter where you fall politically, it’s clear that our communities thrive because of the contributions of immigrants. We can’t turn a blind eye when fear and injustice keep people from living their lives freely and safely. There HAS to be a BETTER way.”

Kardashian reposted Grammy-winning rapper Doechii's emotional speech at the 2025 BET Awards. Doechii's statement criticized the deployment of the military against protestors and the militant response to the protests.

Kardashian's comments got a lot of attention on social media from other prominent individuals. Singer Gracie Abrams said on her Instagram Story, "ICE OUT OF NEW YORK!" "STOP THE DEPORTATIONS" was the rallying cry.

Finneas Eilish, Billie Eilish's brother, called the federal techniques "inciting violence," according to The Inquirer, after telling how he was teargassed at a "very peaceful protest" in the city center. Like Governor Newsom, actress Eva Longoria called the raids "un-American" and spoke out against using Marines to deal with protesters.

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay posted on Instagram about seeing non-lethal rounds fired into throngs of demonstrators on June 10. She wrote about how tear gas and bullets were used on nonviolent protesters, which was an allusion to what happened on January 6.

The federal government has said the raids were authorized for immigration enforcement for public safety. The enforcement added it arrested people with past violent or drug convictions and maintained due process rights. However, immigrant-rights organizations allege that many detainees were longtime community members with little or obsolete records.

The federal government has argued that the raids are authorized ways to enforce immigration laws to keep the public safe. ICE stated they obeyed the law when they arrested people who had been convicted of violent crimes or drug charges in the past. On the other hand, immigrant rights organizations claimed that many of the persons arrested were long-time members of the community with few or no criminal histories.

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