Peoria Standard

Travis Weaver, the state representative for Illinois House District 93, said that Michelle Obama's concern over deportations contrasts with her husband's record of immigration enforcement.

"Michelle says illegal immigrant deportations keep up her at night… did she miss that her husband deported 3 million of them," said Travis Robert Weaver, State Representative from Illinois. "The hypocrisy is endless."

In April 2025, Michelle Obama expressed alarm over the Trump administration’s renewed immigration enforcement tactics, saying they "keep her up at night." According to the New York Post, she criticized the use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to expedite deportations and expressed concern for immigrant communities, particularly in Chicago. Her remarks during a podcast appearance sparked political commentary from both immigration advocates and conservative critics.

During Barack Obama’s presidency from 2009 to 2017, over three million individuals were deported, with a peak of 438,421 deportations in fiscal year 2013. According to the Migration Policy Institute and Pew Research Center, this marked the highest deportation rate in U.S. history, earning Obama criticism from immigrant rights groups. His administration also launched Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2012, offering deportation relief to certain undocumented youth.

From 2017 to 2021, the Trump administration deported approximately 935,000 people, fewer than the total under Obama. According to AS USA, Trump’s policies were more visible but resulted in lower annual deportation figures. Meanwhile, under Joe Biden's administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported 59,000 individuals in 2021 and 72,000 in 2022; however, 2.8 million migrants were expelled under Title 42 public health protocols.

Weaver is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 93rd District since 2023. According to the Illinois General Assembly and his official website, Weaver has prioritized fiscal conservatism and public safety and has opposed state-funded healthcare for undocumented immigrants. He argues such spending diverts resources from essential state programs.