Zoe Saldana takes subtle dig at Trump's immigration policies at Oscars, earns standing ovation from Selena Gomez: Watch

Zoe Saldana appeared to take a subtle dig at President Donald Trump’s immigration policies while accepting her first Academy Award for best supporting actress in Emilia Pérez. Saldaña accepted the award at the Oscars 2025 from Da'Vine Joy Randolph.

“Mami! Mami!” a tearful Saldana said. “My mom is here. My whole family is here. I am floored by this honor. Thank you to the academy for recognizing the quiet heroism and the power in a woman like Rita and talking about powerful women. My fellow nominees, the love and community that you have offered to me is a true gift, and I will pay it forward.”

‘I am a proud child of immigrant parents’

Saldana also opened up about being a “proud child of immigrant parents,” which appeared to be a slight dig at Trump's immigration policies. Trump had repeatedly vowed to crack down on illegal immigration during his presidential campaign, and has made several efforts to do so after being sworn in as president.

“My grandmother came to this country in 1961. I am a proud child of immigrant parents. With dreams and dignity and hard working hands,” Saldaña said. “And I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award. And I know I will not be the last,” Saldana said.

Saldana's speech earned her a standing ovation from Selena Gomez, who was recently seen crying about the illegal immigration crackdown in an Instagram video. In a since-deleted Instagram clip, Gomez was seen sobbing as she said, “All my people are getting attacked, the children. I don’t understand. I’m so sorry, I wish I could do something, but I can’t. I don’t know what to do. I’ll try everything, I promise.”

Saldana played the down-on-her-luck lawyer Rita Castro in Emilia Pérez. Castro was hired by a Mexican drug lord to help facilitate gender-affirming surgery. The drug lord goes on to become Emilia Pérez, played by best actress nominee Karla Sofía Gascón. Gascón is notably the first openly transgender actor nominated for an Oscar.

“The fact that I am getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish, my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted,” Saldana said.

Trump signed executive orders that declared a national emergency at the border after taking office, and and even went on to deploy the US military to combat the surge. He signed orders ending birthright citizenship, suspending refugee admissions, and also ended the use of an app at the southern border that allowed the admission of migrants via humanitarian parole.