

Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to Marie Claire. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
America is a country filled with immigrants from all over the world, yet the anti-immigration rhetoric is at an all-time high (high, like Trump's proposed wall...ahem). If mistrust and aversion to immigrants sounds hypocritical, it's because it 100 percent is—something George Clooney pointed out while visiting a group of Syrian refugees in Berlin.
"I'm of Irish decent," Clooney said during a meeting organized by International Rescue Committee. "And in America, a hundred years ago, we were refugees. My family. Irish were treated terribly in America for a period of time, and not accepted. America learned to accept all of these ideas. It's what our country is, is a country of immigrants. And we have not recently done a very good job of remembering who we are."
George's wife, barrister Amal Clooney, also spoke about her family's history. "My own family's from Lebanon, and they also ran away from a war and were lucky enough to be accepted by a European country in 1982 when the violence there was really bad," she said. "Many years later, everyone is doing well. My father has returned to Beirut. I hope that as you say, you will be able to go back to a safe and free area."
George ends the above video by pointing out that refugees aren't just numbers in a newspaper—they're real people trying to escape real violence: "We always look around at the end of these tragedies and say, 'If we knew, we would have done something.' The reality is, of course, we know."
When a man who spent six years starring on ER is making more sense than many of our political leaders, you know there's a problem. George for president?
Follow Marie Claire on Instagram for the latest celeb news, pretty pics, funny stuff, and an insider POV.
Marie Claire Newsletter
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm. She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.
-
These Tom Ford Perfumes Will Get You So Many Compliments
Heads will turn, guaranteed.
By Brooke Knappenberger
-
#ReadWithMC Readers Were Fascinated by Marisa Meltzer's 'Glossy'
"The way Weiss weaves the story of girl bosses, capitalism, and the toxic-ness behind the scenes is masterful..."
By Brooke Knappenberger
-
Prince Harry "Wants His Old Life Back" and Meghan Markle Is "Frustrated" By It, Commentator Claims
Today in "let's take these comments with a grain of salt."
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Sarah Hyland and Adam Devine Play 'How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?'
The 'Modern Family' stars reunited for the 'Pitch Perfect' spinoff series.
By Brooke Knappenberger
-
The 78 Best Celebrity Couple Halloween Costumes of All Time
Honestly, we're impressed.
By Charlotte Chilton
-
Super Rare Photos of Queen Elizabeth as a Young Woman
From childhood snapshots to portraits as a young princess, beautiful and rare photos of the late Queen Elizabeth as a young woman.
By Mehera Bonner
-
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla's Relationship: A Timeline
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Charles has ascended to the throne as king.
By The Editors
-
Who Is Next in Line for the British Throne, Explained
And yes—Harry and Archie are still in the line of succession.
By Andrea Park
-
Lizzo, Sophie Turner and More Celebrities React to Roe v. Wade Being Overturned
It's been a difficult weekend.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Olivia Rodrigo and Lily Allen Dedicated 'F*** You' to the Justices Who Struck Down Roe v. Wade at Glastonbury
Rodrigo listed their names one by one.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Who Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Fiancé Riley Roberts?
AOC's husband-to-be is an "easygoing redhead" who lives with her in D.C.
By Katherine J. Igoe