Former President Barack Obama delivered his most direct public endorsement yet of demonstrations opposing federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Obama declared support for anti-ICE protests during a Saturday interview with progressive YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen.
He framed the protests as a patriotic defense of American values while condemning federal operations in Minnesota as unlawful and unaccountable.
Without mentioning him by name, Obama took swipes at President Donald Trump’s federal immigration enforcement, which he described as “unprecedented.”
Rather than issuing a formal statement, Obama chose a lengthy interview with a sympathetic progressive media figure.
It’s a format widely viewed as designed to energize the activist base that helped power his political rise.
His message was clear as he urged the leftist protest movement to continue.
Obama’s Remarks on ICE Operations
Obama described federal immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities as “unprecedented,” leveling a series of false accusations about agents’ conduct without citing evidence, investigations, or official findings.
“It is important for us to recognize the unprecedented nature of what ICE was doing in Minneapolis, St Paul, the way that federal agents, ICE agents were being deployed, without any clear guidelines, training, pulling people out of their homes, using five-year-olds to try to bait their parents, all the stuff that we saw, teargassing crowds simply who were standing there, not breaking any laws,” Obama deceitfully claimed.
He then cast the demonstrations as a broader national test rather than localized opposition to immigration enforcement.
“Right now, we’re being tested, and the good news is, what we saw in Minneapolis and St Paul, and what we’re seeing in places across the country, including here in Los Angeles, has been the American people saying no,” Obama said.
“At least a good number of the American people saying, ‘we’re going to live up to those values that we say we believe in.’”
“As long as we have folks doing that, I feel like we’re going to get through this.”
The framing portrays enforcement of federal immigration law as something the nation must endure rather than a policy choice affirmed by voters.
Escalating Rhetoric from the Former President
Obama’s comments follow a joint statement he issued last month with former First Lady Michelle Obama describing the death of Alex Pretti, one of two anti-ICE agitators who died while trying to block federal operations in Minnesota.
The Obamas described the incident as “a heartbreaking tragedy” and “a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.”
However, they stopped short of urging their followers to refrain from interfering in federal enforcement operations.
That statement further falsely accused federal agents of failing to operate “in a lawful or accountable way in Minnesota” and claimed enforcement tactics appeared “designed to intimidate, harass, provoke and endanger the residents of a major American city.”
Such language extends beyond criticism of specific incidents, instead casting doubt on the legitimacy of federal immigration enforcement itself.
Unfortunately, statements like these have led leftists to believe they attack federal agents or interfere with their operations.
Political and Historical Context
Obama’s stance carries particular significance given that his own administration oversaw the deportation of millions of illegal immigrants and conducted workplace raids and interior enforcement operations through the Department of Homeland Security.
The enforcement framework he now condemns largely developed during his presidency.
By elevating Minneapolis as a model of resistance and referencing demonstrations in Los Angeles, Obama signaled support for broader confrontation between progressive local governments and federal immigration authorities.
He also argued that public opinion ultimately favors the protest movement:
“The reason I point out that I don’t think the majority of the American people approve of this is because ultimately, the answer is going to come from the American people.
“We just saw this in Minnesota, in Minneapolis.”
The claim contrasts with the national election in which immigration enforcement, particularly targeting illegal aliens with criminal records, was a central issue for voters.
Developments on the Ground in Minnesota
Last week, border czar Tom Homan confirmed that federal immigration operations in Minnesota would be scaled back.
While activists have credited protests for the drawdown, administration officials have characterized the move as a localized operational adjustment rather than a broader policy retreat.
The operation has been a success, with hundreds of dangerous criminals removed from Minnesota communities.
The demonstrations nonetheless highlighted how coordinated resistance from local officials, activists, and sympathetic political leaders can complicate federal enforcement efforts in major cities.
A Former President’s Intervention
Obama closed his remarks with optimism about future American leadership.
Still, the practical effect of his intervention is causing a widespread backlash, as a former president publicly encouraging resistance to federal immigration enforcement while portraying agents as operating outside the law is truly unprecedented.
The debate over immigration enforcement was settled at the ballot box in November 2024.
Yet, Obama’s latest comments signal that the political and cultural battle surrounding that outcome is far from over.
READ MORE – Obama Judge Releases 4 Dangerous Illegal Aliens from ICE Custody
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