In a discussion on the podcast On Purpose with Jay Shetty, released April 28, former First Lady Michelle Obama shared her concerns about the challenges migrants face in her hometown of Chicago and across the United States.
When asked about her most “recent test of fear,” Obama, now 61, acknowledged the safety her public profile affords her. “It’s not the fear for myself anymore,” she said. “I drive around in a four-car motorcade with a police escort. I’m Michelle Obama.” Yet, her thoughts turn to those beyond her protected sphere. “My fears are for what I know is happening out there in streets all over the city,” she noted.
Joined by her brother, Craig Robinson, Obama recalled a childhood incident when he was wrongly accused by a Black police officer of stealing a bicycle. She drew a connection between that experience and the challenges she believes migrants face today.
“There’s so much bias and so much racism and so much ignorance that fuels those kind of choices,” she said. “I worry for people of color all over this country, and I don’t know that we will have the advocates to protect everybody.”
Reflecting on her concerns, she added, “And that … frightens me, it keeps me up at night.” She emphasized the unease of living with uncertainty: “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.”
Without directly naming President Trump, Obama alluded to the current administration’s approach, noting that “now that we have leadership that is, sort of, indiscriminately determining who belongs and who doesn’t,” decisions may lack the oversight of courts and due process.
Some Democrats have criticized policies like the use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to expedite deportations of alleged gang members who entered the country illegally, arguing it bypasses traditional legal channels.
It’s worth noting that the Obama administration also faced scrutiny for deporting over 3 million people, a point that drew criticism from some progressive groups. Today, however, Michelle Obama’s focus is on fostering understanding amid Trump’s efforts to strengthen border security and prioritize deportations.
Political Engagement and Personal Choices
During the 2024 election, Obama actively supported former Vice President Kamala Harris and critiqued Trump’s policies. Her decision to skip his January inauguration, which her husband attended alone, sparked curiosity. On her podcast IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson last week, she explained it with a light touch: “It started with not having anything to wear.”
“I walk around with the right dress, I travel with clothes just in case something pops off,” she shared. “So I was like, if I’m not going to do this thing, I got to tell my team, I don’t even want to have a dress ready, right? Because it’s so easy to just say, let me do the right thing.”
Addressing Public Speculation
Addressing speculation about her marriage due to her absence from both the inauguration and the late President Jimmy Carter’s funeral, she clarified, “My decision to skip the inauguration, what people don’t realize, or my decision to make choices at the beginning of this year that suited me were met with such ridicule and criticism.” She added, “People couldn’t believe that I was saying no for any other reason, that they had to assume that my marriage was falling apart, you know?”
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