American star Kim Kardashian has taken a swipe at President Donald Trump over his controversial raids, though she continues to maintain personal ties with members of his family.
The 44-year-old, who graduated from her law program earlier this year, spoke against the immigration crackdown while attending an event in Venice, Italy, where she was recognised for her ongoing work in prison reform.
Speaking to Variety, Kardashian said the raids were affecting hardworking people who are an integral part of American society.
In the news, you hear it’s about people who have committed crimes, and they’re trying to help out our country. But then you hear about people who have worked so hard to build our country, and so many are getting affected,” she said.
The remarks echoed a statement she made earlier in June, when she called ICE operations in Los Angeles ‘inhumane.” The post, however, drew backlash online, with some critics accusing her of being selective in her activism due to her cordial relationship with the Trump family.
Kardashian has previously worked with Trump on criminal justice reform, including high-profile meetings at the White House in 2018 and 2019.
She is also known to have a longstanding friendship with his daughter Ivanka Trump.
On the same day she made her remarks, reports emerged that Kardashian had quietly taken the California bar exam in late July as the next step in her legal career. Having graduated from her six-year law program in May, she is now awaiting her results, expected in November.
California’s bar exam is regarded as one of the most difficult in the United States, with a historically low pass rate. Kardashian is understood to have taken the test privately with a proctor present, to avoid public attention.
Kardashian has spent the past six years pursuing law studies, completing California’s Law Office Study Program (LOSP), which allows individuals to qualify without attending a traditional law school. She previously passed the “baby bar” exam in 2021, after multiple attempts, and cleared the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination earlier this year.
Her interest in law is inspired by her late father, Robert Kardashian, who was a prominent attorney. Since beginning her legal training, she has been actively involved in campaigns to reform the American prison system, working on cases of commutations and wrongful convictions.
Despite her friendship with Ivanka Trump, Kardashian has not publicly endorsed any political candidate in the 2024 presidential election.
As she awaits the outcome of the bar exam, Kardashian has indicated she intends to continue her advocacy, saying she is willing to work with “any administration” on justice reform cases, including the high-profile Menendez brothers, who were recently denied parole.