On April 13th, the Trump administration cracked down on immigration once again, escalating claims regarding the Venezuelan and Salvadorian detainees sent to El Salvador’s CECOT prison last month. Declaring that the deportees are gang members or even terrorists, however, these claims have failed to hold up in court. According to Reuters, 238 Venezuelan men suspected of being from the infamous Tren de Aragua gang were deported, and now “a U.S. immigration official conceded in court filings that many of the deportees had no criminal record.” These men were sent to CECOT without trial, and according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the men “should remain imprisoned for the rest of their lives.”

Since the beginning of President Trump’s campaign in 2020, he has pushed for anti-immigrant rhetoric and messages, asserting that immigrants are the reason for steadily increasing crime rates, job insecurity, inflation, social instability, and more. Some of his campaign statements include, “We have no idea who they are. They want to come into our country. They may be ISIS. It may be the greatest Trojan Horse of all time. Who knows? […]  Illegal aliens coming into our country under Biden are treated better than our vets. […]The people that came in, they’re eating the cats… They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.” These narratives are largely not based on evidence or fact and have been the foundation of a lot of Trump’s popularity amongst blue-collar workers, due to their emotional and financial resonance with his perspective rather than their validity. This is important because blue-collar and service workers make up 53% of Trump’s voting demographic, according to the Economic Innovation Group. Because many blue-collar workers are losing their jobs and need something to blame, Trump plays into this by empathising and validating their challenges and positioning himself as the protector of traditional “American” jobs and values. Hence why the trump administration is so adamant about deportation and the criminalization of immigrants, to ensure popularity amongst this large voting demographic. As the spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin announced, “We are putting the American people first by removing illegal aliens who pose a threat to our communities.” This rhetoric is extremely harmful socially to the United States, as historically the nation has been built on immigration and the integration of diverse cultures. The anti-immigrant stance and rhetoric defy America’s tradition and pride in being a destination for immigrants. By targeting and objectifying immigrant communities, the White House inherently creates deep division and gives the president the ability to undermine ideals such as inclusivity, opportunity, and equal protection under the law. Before this becomes an even larger issue, it’s imperative that we recognize immigrants as American, as we have done historically. As said by George Washington in 1783, “The bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent and respectable stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all nations and religions; whom we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges.”