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In just a few weeks into President Donald Trump’s second term, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has deported nearly 9,000 undocumented migrants as of Feb. 3. These deportations are only the beginning of a worryingly ambitious operation that Trump promised would deport nearly 15 to 20 million undocumented immigrants, despite there being 11 million residing in the US in 2022.
The “Migrant Crisis,” as he dubbed it, has been a central focus of Trump’s rhetoric in both his campaigns for president and terms in office. He and his supporters contend that undocumented immigrants are responsible for many of America’s issues, such as violent crimes (despite them consistently dropping) and economic struggles, claiming undocumented people are benefiting from institutions “real Americans” pay taxes for.
Back in March of last year, Trump took to his social media platform “Truth Social” and wrote, “Unlike the Democrats, who are KILLING SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE by allowing the INVASION OF THE MIGRANTS, I will NOT, under any circumstance, allow either of these two precious GEMS to be even touched under a Trump Administration...”.
This freeloading accusation is not a new one. Still, the fact is that undocumented immigrants in 2022 paid nearly $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes, despite not even being eligible to receive benefits such as Medicare and Social Security.
On the notion of crime Trump is even more adamant that undocumented people pose a significant threat. He has claimed they are “the most violent people on earth” despite the most recently available crime statistics contrasting that notion. Studies have shown undocumented people are not only less violent than U.S. citizens but commit less crime per capita in every category. Furthermore, in the last 150 years, undocumented people have never been incarcerated at a higher rate than those born in the U.S.
This begs the question of what Trump hopes to accomplish by removing millions of Americans from our country. And yes, these people are American, as American as those born here and as American as those who first immigrated here to start this country. The fact remains that American history has not been forgotten because Trump is in office. We are a country of immigrants, built and sustained by immigrants. Diversity of all kinds makes America, or any nation for that matter, culturally rich and successful. The different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that make America unique are what set us apart from the rest of the world, not our idealism and desire to define what a “real American” is based on irrelevant factors such as country of origin.
The rhetoric of President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and their supporters suggests this deportation operation has little to do with improving our nation but instead creating an America that exists within their fantasy of the “great” America of the past. This begs another question: if we are to be great “again,” what great are we referring to? Are we referring to the America of the '80s, tarnished by the war on drugs? Or are we referring to the ‘40s when America relocated nearly 120,000 people of Japanese descent, 70,000 of those being U.S. citizens?
I could keep going back to other times when our country was less great for even less and less of our total population, but I've made my point. The truth is America has never truly been that great for basically everyone besides those who are white. Don't get me wrong, I love this country; I love the idea of the American dream. A nation where all people of all kinds, regardless of background or creed, can become American, pursue success, and work towards their dreams is one that our government is focused on creating. Even if the American dream has not been achieved yet, that doesn't mean it's not something to strive for, although utopian. But if we truly want this dream to come true, removing millions of people who make our country what it is an inherent contradiction. As Americans, let's remember what our goal is and stop listening to those who twist and convulse what the American dream was meant to be.
Max Moore (he/him) is a sophomore studying political science and journalism
