GOING VIRAL: Obama’s forgotten warning about illegal immigration comes back to haunt Dems

January 29, 2026

From Fox News: A clip of President Barack Obama in 2010 warning that halting deportations would trigger a surge in illegal immigration is going viral.

The post, made on the social media platform X, fueled sharp divisions over ICE deportation raids launched since President Donald Trump returned to the White House.

While some critics condemn the deportation of otherwise law-abiding illegal immigrants, others are argue such “mass deportations” were not only Trump’s flagship promise, but also a norm among past Democratic administrations.

Obama was criticized by activists and media outlets during his presidency for deporting illegal immigrants who had little or no serious criminal history beyond crossing the border illegally. earning him the nickname “deporter in chief” among some critics.

The video that has gone wildly viral is a clip from a speech Obama gave in 2010, when he spoke at the American University School of International Service in Washington, D.C.

In the clip, Obama sounded more like a conservative, as he scolded the immigrants’ rights activists who want to ignore immigration laws and just give legal status to all illegal aliens in the U.S.

Obama warned that if that happened, it would only encourage more people to come to the U.S. illegally, and it wouldn’t be fair to all the people who were already in line to come legally.

“Ultimately, our nation, like all nations, has the right and obligation to control its borders and set laws for residency and citizenship,” Obama argued, adding, “And no matter how decent they are, no matter their reasons, the 11 million who broke these laws should be held accountable.”

This was only 16 years ago. Amazing how far left the left has gone since.

— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) January 27, 2026

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Tex.) wrote, “Who is this guy and why isn’t he our spokesperson for border security and the moral need for lawful deportations? What a perfectly delivered argument for holding people accountable for breaking the law and also recognizing the millions of law-abiding immigrants waiting in line around the world.”

Who is this guy and why isn’t he our spokesperson for border security and the moral need for lawful deportations? What a perfectly delivered argument for holding people accountable for breaking the law and also recognizing the millions of law-abiding immigrants waiting in line… https://t.co/C7YosDzvLK

— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) January 27, 2026

Podcast host Alec Lace shared another video that includes clips from three separate speeches where Obama was also defending deportations and speaking out against illegal immigration. He even called to punish employers who hire illegal aliens.

WATCH:

The Deporter in Chief! Over 5 million deported with 75% receiving no due process at all. pic.twitter.com/yvXg3BW0B5

— Alec Lace (@AlecLace) June 15, 2025