Since the onset of Donald Trump’s presidency, the world has stood witness to the swift deportation of illegal immigrants residing in the United States.
I believe in the idea of deporting individuals who illegally occupy our country. Upholding the law is essential, and those who enter the country illegally have broken this law.
Additionally, illegal immigration places a burden on social services, such as healthcare, education and welfare programs, which American taxpayers fund.
However, the illegal immigrants in America today should not be blindly deported in the way that this administration has promised to do so. You may find that my stance is contradictory. I view it as a nuanced perspective that examines the rule of law within the context of fairness.
I understand that the vast majority of immigrants who enter the United States do so out of necessity, not malice. Our current legal immigration system is strenuous and time consuming.
Immigrants are fleeing terrors like cartels and political instability, leaving them no time to wait. While they have violated the law on an absolute basis, I refuse to believe that these people should fall within the same scrutinous category as perpetrators of significant crime. Their actions should not be viewed as inherently criminal, but rather the result of a broken system. Laws, after all, are not inherently just. They must be evaluated in the context of morality.
That being said, I understand why some advocate for mass deportations from a strict policy standpoint, even if I disagree. However, if your support is rooted in the false narrative that illegal immigrants are inherently criminals, that is a serious misconception that must be challenged.
The notion that illegal immigrants are criminals is factually false. According to the American Immigration Council, illegal immigrants are 50% less likely to be arrested and 26% less likely to be convicted of homicide than U.S. born citizens. Additionally, researchers at CATO, a libertarian think tank, found that undocumented immigrants in Texas were 37.1% less likely to be convicted of a crime. Yet, despite evidence, this narrative continues to persist. Why is this the case?
There are three factors at play:
The first is that Americans are frustrated. Jobs are scarce, inflation is rising and wages have stagnated for many, leaving people searching for a scapegoat. Due to their vulnerable nature and people’s inherent biases, immigrants serve as easy targets.
The second is the existence of Trump’s intelligent and strategic rhetoric. He understood the masses of people who scapegoat illegal immigrants, then used an age-old political tactic: give the people what they want to hear and deflect the blame. The “Haitians eating dogs” comment made during September’s presidential debate is a perfect example. Having the opportunity to emphasize the economic burden of illegal immigration, Trump chose to highlight a dehumanizing stereotype. He successfully “othered” the immigrant population, shifting the conversation away from structural concerns and towards racial fear mongering.
The third is the influence of Trump’s words on non-prejudiced individuals. Many lack proper education on the issue. I don’t fault these people in the slightest, as we should be able to trust the words of our leaders. Politicians often exploit public perception for political gain, shaping narratives that serve their interests.
The small minority of illegal immigrants who actively commit crimes should be deported. We must not let this minority, though, ruin the image of all illegal immigrants. Over the last four years, the Biden Administration did a miserable job securing the border, leading criminal organizations like cartels to take advantage. This might have led to a recent influx of illegal immigrants engaging in crime, yes, but this still does not refute the broader facts.
The majority of illegal immigrants are good people. Many of them immigrated at a young age, went to college, and now significantly contribute to the economy. You wouldn’t know about these people because they are illegal and aren’t going to expose themselves. But these people exist in massive numbers.
You can still argue for mass deportations on the honest basis of social services or an economical theory. What we must agree upon, though, is that these discussions of immigration can no longer be hijacked by hate, where false narratives exist and permeate our society. Instead, our conversations must be grounded in policy and fairness. A specific bible verse comes to mind:
Zechariah 7:9-10: “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’”
Trump is a strong president who I am confident will bring economic prosperity to our nation, and I support many of his policies. However, he holds the reins of power, and that means the ability to elevate the national conscience. His words shape not just policy, but the moral fabric of our nation. If he truly seeks to lead America to prosperity, he must recognize that strength is not just measured in economic success, but in the integrity and unity of the people he serves.
