Former US President Barack Obama on Monday called for compassion and legal reform in the country’s immigration system, warning against treating immigrant families as “enemies.”

“Thirteen years ago, my administration acted to protect young people who were American in every single way but one: on paper,” he said on X.

He described the policy as an example of how the US can be both “a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws,” and urged Americans to reflect on that principle today.

“Families with similar backgrounds who just want to live, work, and support their communities are being demonised,” he said.

Obama emphasised the importance of overhauling the immigration policy while preserving the dignity of all people, saying: “We can fix our broken immigration system while still recognising our common humanity and treating each other with dignity and respect.”

“In fact, it’s the only way we ever will,” he said.

His remarks come amid renewed debate over immigration policies under the Trump administration, including increased enforcement and limitations on protections for undocumented migrants.