Shakira says she lives in “constant fear” as an immigrant in the US

Shakira has said that she lives in “constant fear” as an immigrant in the United States.

• READ MORE: Here’s what went down when Shakira kicked off her ‘Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran’ 2025 world tour in Rio

In a new interview with BBC News, the Colombian-born singer discussed the impact of US President Donald Trump‘s crackdown on alleged immigration violations.

She explained that, though she had felt accepted and welcomed when she moved to Miami as a teenager, she now feels afraid of the current political climate.

“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 explained.

Shakira was then asked how it feels to be an immigrant in the US today. “It means living in constant fear,” she replied. “And it’s painful to see.”

The singer went on to urge people to stand up for their rights and stay strong in the face of adversity. “Now, more than ever, we have to remain united,” she said. “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.”

SHAKIRA: “Being an immigrant in means living in constant fear. And it’s painful to see.” pic.twitter.com/CKKeTnmHCK

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) June 13, 2025

Her comments come amid ongoing protests against ICE’s raids of several workplaces in Los Angeles over alleged immigration violations.

In response to the protests, Trump authorised the deployment of the National Guard – which was allowed to carry out anti-protest operations over the following 60 days.

Last weekend, Finneas claimed he had been tear-gassed by the National Guard at a “peaceful” protest in LA. “Fuck ICE,” he wrote on social media about the incident. Later, he added: “If you are into this fascist shit you are small and weak and will lose.”

Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello has attended a protest against ICE too, calling on people to “defend LA”. Elsewhere, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong expressed his support by telling ICE to “fuck off”.

Khaby Lame, the world’s biggest TikTok star, also reportedly fled the US after being detained by ICE earlier this week.

pic.twitter.com/Q6XXWTys23

— Shakira (@shakira) June 14, 2025

In other Shakira news, the singer is currently on her sold-out tour, titled Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women No Longer Cry), performing across North and South America.

It’s proved to be a very turbulent tour, however, after the ‘Whenever, Wherever’ star had to postpone a show in Medellín, Colombia due to stage safety concerns back in February, and was also forced to reschedule a show in Lima, Peru on after being hospitalised.

Even more recently, the singer went viral after falling onstage mid-performance, and cancelled her WorldPride performance as well as a show last night (June 13) in Houston, Texas.

This is Shakira’s first tour in seven years and comes in support of her 2024 album ‘Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. In NME’s four-star review of the record, Lucas Villa wrote: “With a career that spans four decades, she continues to push the envelope for Latin pop music and make the genre a global event.

“All her previous records had at least one song in English, but this time, she opts to sing fully in Spanish. With this vulnerable yet versatile collection, Shakira shows there are no limits to the art of her catharsis through song.”

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