Kim Kardashian Addresses Donald Trump's ICE Raids and Immigration Policy

7:35 AM PT -- White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson tells TMZ ... "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."

Kim Kardashian is challenging President Donald Trump's controversial immigration policy ... arguing the USA is kicking out people who've worked hard to build the country.

Just before receiving an award in Venice, Italy on Thursday for her work in criminal justice reform, KK was asked by a journalist about the ongoing ICE raids across the U.S.

She said, “In the news you hear, ‘Oh, it’s about people who have committed these crimes and they’re trying to help out our country.’ 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.”

Kim went on to say ... "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."

As you know ... Kim Kardashian has a history of working with Donald Trump on criminal justice reform -- helping secure the commutation for former federal prisoner Alice Marie Johnson and pushing for pardons in other cases.

Kim said she'd love to go back to the White House to continue her prison reform advocacy and "fight for the rights of people I believe in," regardless of who's in charge.

KK explained her visits to the White House inspired her to get into law school, BTW ... and TMZ broke the story Thursday, she took the California bar exam last month and is currently waiting for results.