Michelle Obama Says Trump’s Immigration Policies “Keep Me Up at Night”
Former First Lady Michelle Obama has once again taken aim at Donald Trump, claiming that his immigration policies are so distressing they literally keep her awake at night. In a recent appearance on the On Purpose podcast with host Jay Shetty, Obama expressed deep concern for immigrants, particularly people of color, under Trump’s leadership.
“In this current climate, for me, it’s what’s happening to immigrants,” she said. “My fears are for what I know is happening out there in the streets all over the city.” She described feeling unsettled while driving through Los Angeles, watching the faces of strangers and wondering if they felt safe waiting at a bus stop. “That frightens me. It keeps me up at night.”
Despite being one of the most recognizable women in the world—with a full Secret Service detail—Obama acknowledged her personal safety isn’t at risk. “I drive around in a four-car motorcade with a police escort. I’m Michelle Obama,” she said. “But I still worry about my daughters in the world, even though they are somewhat recognizable.”
Joined on the podcast by her brother, Craig Robinson, the two reflected on growing up in Chicago and the early realization that “no one was going to see beyond the color of our skin.” Obama used this anecdote to draw a parallel between past experiences of discrimination and the modern-day immigration crackdown under Trump’s administration.
What she didn’t mention, however, is that similar policies were enforced during her husband’s presidency. Barack Obama, after all, earned the nickname “Deporter in Chief” for overseeing the removal of more than 3 million immigrants during his two terms—often through streamlined enforcement strategies that critics say mirror Trump’s current approach.
Even so, Obama claimed the current administration is “indiscriminately determining who belongs and who doesn’t,” alleging that deportations are happening without due process—a statement legal experts argue misrepresents immigration law, where deportations require court proceedings in nearly all cases.
According to Fox News, over 100,000 people have been deported since Trump returned to office, targeting many who crossed the border during Biden’s presidency. Nevertheless, as border czar Tom Homan noted, an estimated 20 million undocumented immigrants still remain in the U.S.
The former first lady’s emotional remarks have drawn criticism for perceived hypocrisy, given her husband’s tough stance on immigration during his presidency. A 2017 report from the Migration Policy Institute found that the Obama administration prioritized deporting noncitizens with criminal records and increased the use of formal removal proceedings over voluntary returns—policies that bear more than a passing resemblance to the enforcement tactics used today.
