Michelle Obama Fears Trump for Hypocritical Reason
Michelle Obama Slams Trump Deportation Policies—But Her Husband Deported More Than 3 Million
Former First Lady Michelle Obama expressed alarm over immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump, stating it keeps her up at night.
This comes despite the Obama administration’s record-setting deportation numbers.
In a new episode of the podcast “On Purpose with Jay Shetty,” released Monday, Obama said current immigration policies are her “recent test of fear.”
She emphasized their impact on migrants living in her hometown of Chicago.
“In this current climate, for me it’s what’s happening to immigrants,” she said during the interview.
Obama, now 61, acknowledged her personal privilege, referencing her security detail and public recognition.
“It’s not the fear for myself anymore,” she said.
“I do still worry about my daughters in the world, even though they are somewhat recognizable.”
The former First Lady appeared on the podcast with her brother Craig Robinson.
The two discussed their childhood experiences, including a time when Robinson was wrongly accused of theft by a black police officer, which she described as an early experience with systemic racism.
“There’s so much bias and so much racism and so much ignorance that fuels those kind of choices,” Obama stated.
Drawing a link between her brother’s experience and immigration enforcement, Obama voiced concern for communities of color in the current political climate.
“I worry for people of color all over this country, and I don’t know that we will have the advocates to protect everybody,” she added.
Obama questioned how people could function under such stress, stating, “How do you feel comfortable going to work, going to school, when you know that there could be people out here judging you and who could upend your life in a second – that’s who I worry for right now.”
She criticized national leaders who, in her words, “indiscriminately” determine “who belongs and who doesn’t.”
Although she avoided naming President Trump, her comments appeared directed at his administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.
She suggested that decisions were being made without due process or legal safeguards.
Trump has employed the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to speed up deportation procedures.
The statute, originally enacted during the John Adams administration, allows for the expedited removal of individuals from hostile foreign nations during times of war or conflict.
The Trump administration has interpreted this law to apply to undocumented migrants suspected of criminal activity, particularly gang members and those with violent criminal histories.
Critics of Trump’s policies argue that this approach bypasses traditional legal channels and undermines the rights of individuals to challenge their removal in court.
Nonetheless, Department of Homeland Security data shows that President Trump deported fewer individuals in his first term than Barack Obama did.
The New York Times reported that from 2009 to 2016, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported approximately 3.1 million individuals under President Obama.
The agency’s highest annual removal total occurred in 2012, when 409,849 individuals were deported.
During that time, the Obama administration said it focused on deporting individuals with criminal records. However, a significant number of non-criminals were also removed, leading to criticism from immigration advocates and progressive groups.
As a result, President Obama was labeled the “Deporter-in-Chief” by his detractors.
In comparison, the Trump administration deported around 2 million individuals during Trump’s first term from 2017 to 2021.
Trump faced harsh backlash from Democrats for his rhetoric, policy proposals and high-profile enforcement actions, such as family separation and efforts to build a wall along the southern border.
Despite the criticism, Newsweek reported that DHS statistics show Trump deported fewer people than Obama over an equivalent timeframe. However, immigration enforcement under Trump has intensified during his second term, with 271,484 removals reported in 2024 alone.
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