Xenophobic and authoritarian measures proposed by Trump for his second term
As the upcoming presidential election draws nearer, Donald Trump is making his plans for a potential second term in the White House clear. His aggressive anti-immigration rhetoric and proposed measures have sparked widespread concern not only among immigrant communities but also among human rights and advocacy organizations.
If Trump were to win the 2024 election, he plans to launch an entire crusade to stop both illegal and legal migration to the United States. His proposed measures include the revival of the Muslim veto, the reinstatement of the “Stay in Mexico” program for migrants, expansion of the “third country” program to include more regions like South America, Africa, and Asia, and conditional aid and bilateral relationship with countries based on accepting his terms.
Moreover, Trump also intends to end birthright citizenship for babies born in the United States to undocumented parents, an extreme move that requires a law of Congress or a ruling from the Supreme Court. His plans also include the expansion of deportation by “accelerated expulsion,” invoking the Alien Enemies Act for the summary deportation of alleged members of drug cartels and other criminal gangs, and the construction of new concentration centers for illegal immigrants in different areas of the country.
Several human rights and advocacy groups have critiqued Trump’s proposed measures, with Todd Schulte, president of FWD, calling them “authoritarian, often illegal, agenda that would destroy nearly every aspect of American life: sinking the economy and violating the basic civil rights of millions of immigrants and native-born Americans alike.”
While Trump’s xenophobic proposals have drawn concern, it is likely that many of these measures would be sued before the country’s courts if approved. The potential impact of these measures on American life and the lives of immigrants is under scrutiny as the 2024 election approaches.