The ex-U.S President, Donald Trump has recently initiated, on a radio show, yet another cycle of misinformation about migrants traversing the U.S.-Mexico border. He incorrectly averred that Democrats, based on a manipulated account about crime rates among noncitizens, are allowing a considerable volume of migrant offenders to cross the boundary without limitations. His discourse insinuates that immigrants of Latino descent have a proclivity towards violent tendencies, attributing such behavior to ‘detrimental genes.’
However, this is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Trump’s remarks. In a grim depiction of migrants, he presents them as sub-human while strenuously advocating for extensive deportation policies. It appears he is laying the groundwork for what could potentially evolve into a preliminary campaign for ethnic cleansing. His justification against the migrants rests on the perception that individuals hailing from specific ethnic backgrounds are so objectionable that considerable efforts must be dedicated towards their removal.
In this anti-immigrant movement that Trump is fanning, he is aligning an American sense of belonging with racial identity. As his rhetoric around immigration becomes explicitly fascistic, he depicts immigrants as ‘contaminators of the country’s bloodline,’ characterizing them through the lens of ‘adverse genes.’ Trump, together with his running mate Sen. JD Vance from Ohio, are propelling incorrect narratives about immigrants, creating bias through negative stereotypes.
Trump continues to support the ‘great replacement’ conspiracy theory, insinuating that Democrats have a sinister plan to ‘substitute’ current American citizens with immigrants not of white ethnicity. Such assertions are erroneous and largely draw upon the premise that migrants originating from the Global South have an inherent tendency to subvert the interests of the existing, primarily white citizenry.
The stratagem employed by Trump to dehumanize migrants is noteworthy as it has a designated purpose – implementing mass deportations of unauthorized immigrants on a magnitude never seen before. His endorsement of ‘remigration’ entails a commitment to repatriate Haitian migrants to their homeland, irrespective of their legal status in the U.S.
Furthermore, Trump assures his supporters that his administration would intensify their efforts to denaturalize immigrants if he were to reassume office. His political itinerary also includes the reinstation of prohibition on individuals from nations with a Muslim majority. Though his plan does not equate to ethnic cleaning in the strictest sense, as deportation would be determined on the grounds of legality rather than ethnicity, it’s alarming that his denunciation of migrants is utilized as a public defense for his expulsion policies.
Trump’s lack of empathy towards immigrants fuels the vigor and scope of this policy. He is guiding his entire political faction to perceive migrants – a demographic historically known to contribute to the prosperity and cultural richness of America – as undesirable. Given these circumstances, it is important to consider the potential consequences of future leaders who may choose to follow in these footsteps.