Kim Kardashian Criticizes ICE Raids, Defending ‘Hardworking’ Immigrants Amid Trump Administration’s Mass Deportations
Los Angeles, CA – August 31, 2025
Reality TV star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian has reignited her public criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, slamming ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids as “inhumane” and defending the “innocent, hardworking people” being affected. Speaking at the Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) Awards in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, August 28, Kardashian highlighted the personal impact of the raids, noting that “people I know” and “people my friends know” have been caught up in the crackdown. Her comments, made while accepting a Leadership Award for her criminal justice reform work, come amid widespread protests in Los Angeles and other cities against the administration’s aggressive deportation efforts, which have removed nearly 200,000 individuals since January 2025. As the raids continue to spark national debate, Kardashian’s outspoken stance—despite her past collaboration with President Donald Trump on prison reform—adds a celebrity voice to the growing chorus of opposition.
Key Details of Kardashian’s Criticism and the ICE Raids
Kardashian addressed the raids during a roundtable with journalists ahead of the DVF Awards ceremony, where she was honored for her advocacy with the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. “In the news you hear, ‘Oh, it’s about people who have committed these crimes and they’re trying to help out our country,'” she said, according to Variety. “But then you hear about all of the people who have worked so hard to build our country, and so many people that are such a part of our country getting affected. People I know. People my friends know.”
She continued, emphasizing the perceived disconnect between the administration’s rhetoric and reality: “You want to believe that there’s a powerful message in protection, but then you see that it’s not really happening like that. It’s really tough, but I think that we have to do what we can to protect the people that have really supported and built our country.” Kardashian’s remarks echo her earlier Instagram post from June 2025, where she condemned the raids as “inhumane” and called for a “better way,” stating, “When we witness innocent, hardworking people being ripped from their families in inhumane ways, we have to speak up.”
The raids, part of Trump’s pledge for the “largest mass deportations in the nation’s history,” have intensified since his January 2025 inauguration, targeting undocumented immigrants in sanctuary cities like Los Angeles. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), nearly 200,000 individuals have been deported as of August 2025, with operations focusing on workplaces, neighborhoods, and public spaces. Protests erupted in Los Angeles in June 2025 following large-scale sweeps, spreading to New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago, where demonstrators decried the raids as “racist” and lacking due process. The administration has deployed National Guard troops and Marines to quell unrest, citing “migrant riots” and prioritizing the removal of “violent criminals.”
Kardashian’s critique aligns with her broader advocacy; she has visited the White House multiple times during Trump’s first term to push for criminal justice reform, successfully lobbying for pardons like that of Alice Marie Johnson in 2018. Despite this history, she has expressed willingness to work with any administration, including Trump’s, on issues she believes in, and recently took the California bar exam to further her legal pursuits.
Quotes from Kardashian, Administration Officials, and Experts
Kardashian, in her June Instagram post, elaborated: “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.”
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responded sharply to TMZ: “Ms. Kardashian is misinformed and detached from the very reality of the operations in Los Angeles she has decided to opine on. These are the violent criminals who Homeland Security, under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, have removed from Los Angeles’s streets: murderers, rapists, gang members and child pedophiles.”
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson added: “President Trump is fulfilling his promise to the American people to deport criminal illegal aliens and Make America Safe Again—no matter what elite Hollywood celebrities have to say about it.”
Immigration expert Bill Frelick from Human Rights Watch commented: “Kardashian’s voice adds to the growing outcry against these raids, which often sweep up non-criminal immigrants without due process. It’s a humanitarian concern that transcends politics.”
Background: Kardashian’s Advocacy and the ICE Raids Controversy
Kardashian has positioned herself as a reform advocate since 2018, when she lobbied Trump for Alice Marie Johnson’s clemency, leading to her involvement in the First Step Act. Her June 2025 Instagram post was her first major statement on the raids, inspired by protests in Los Angeles, where she grew up and noted immigrants’ integral role in the community. She has met with both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris on reform issues, emphasizing nonpartisan advocacy.
The raids, part of Trump’s “largest mass deportations” pledge, have deported nearly 200,000 people by August 2025, focusing on sanctuary cities like Los Angeles. Protests, sparked in June, have spread nationwide, with critics like actor Mark Ruffalo and rapper Doechii joining Kardashian in condemnation. DHS defends the operations as targeting “violent criminals,” posting examples of arrests like murderers and rapists.
Potential Impacts and Next Steps
Kardashian’s comments could amplify celebrity-led opposition, potentially influencing public opinion and pressuring the administration, especially with her 356 million Instagram followers. It may fuel more protests and legal challenges to the raids, while DHS’s backlash highlights deepening divides. For Kardashian, it reinforces her reform image but risks alienating Trump allies.
Next, she awaits California bar results and plans White House visits for advocacy, regardless of administration. The raids continue, with DHS aiming for 1 million deportations by year’s end, amid ongoing protests and potential congressional hearings.
In conclusion, Kim Kardashian’s renewed criticism of ICE raids spotlights the human cost of Trump’s immigration policies, defending hardworking immigrants while facing administration pushback. The key takeaway? Celebrity voices like hers can humanize policy debates, urging a more compassionate approach—reminding us that behind the numbers are families and communities deserving of fairness.