Michelle Obama isn’t losing sleep over security threats or her own safety but she is deeply troubled by one issue: America’s treatment of immigrants. On a recent episode of the popular podcast On Purpose with Jay Shetty, the former First Lady opened up about the one thing that’s been haunting her thoughts the Trump-era immigration crackdown.
In this current climate, for me, it’s what’s happening to immigrants,” she said, revealing that the fear she once had for her own safety has shifted to concern for others. “I’m Michelle Obama. I ride in a four-car motorcade with a police escort,” she admitted. “But what keeps me up at night is knowing what’s going on out there in the streets.”
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Now 61, Michelle described the contrast between her own secure, high-profile life and the uncertainty faced by everyday people, especially immigrants and communities of color. Speaking alongside her brother and co-host Craig Robinson, she drew powerful parallels between his childhood experience of being wrongfully accused of stealing a bike and the systemic injustice still affecting people across the country.
“There’s so much bias, racism, and ignorance fueling these decisions,” she said, highlighting the fear and unpredictability that many families live with daily. “How do you feel safe going to work or school when your life can be flipped upside down in an instant?”
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Remarkable.
President Barack Obama deported a whopping 3,000,000 illegal immigrants, demolishing the… pic.twitter.com/uBOIGdSm9H
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 29, 2025
Without mentioning Donald Trump by name, Michelle didn’t hold back when criticizing his approach to immigration. She slammed what she described as “leadership that is, sort of, indiscriminately determining who belongs and who doesn’t,” adding that those life-changing decisions are being made outside of the court system without due process.
The comments come as Trump’s immigration policies continue to spark heated debate, with critics pointing to his expanded use of laws like the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to fast-track deportations. Meanwhile, Trump has made the U.S.-Mexico border a cornerstone of his political platform, boasting of tough enforcement and rising deportation numbers.
Ironically, critics were quick to point out that Michelle’s own husband, President Barack Obama, oversaw the deportation of more undocumented immigrants than any other U.S. president over three million during his two terms. But Michelle seemed more focused on the tone and tactics of recent years than the numbers alone.
She also took a moment to address speculation around her absence from Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration and more recently, President Jimmy Carter’s funeral. The reason, she said, was surprisingly simple: wardrobe. “It started with not having anything to wear,” she joked, noting that even a practical choice turned into a media frenzy about her marriage.
Michelle Obama says people assumed her marriage was falling apart — as she speaks on the ridicule and criticism she faced for skipping Donald Trump’s inauguration.
(🎥 Michelle Obama/IMO Podcast/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/SlOSkUHBMW
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) April 23, 2025
“People couldn’t believe that I was saying no for any reason other than drama,” she said, clearly frustrated with the public’s rush to judgment.
Through it all, Michelle Obama made one thing clear her advocacy isn’t about politics or public perception. It’s about people. And it’s about the quiet fears that don’t make headlines but weigh heavily on the minds of millions including hers.
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