History is Repeating Itself
Trump isn’t rolling out anything new — he’s copying past racial purges in American history and hoping no one remembers.
The Alien Enemies Act was last invoked during WWII to justify imprisoning 120,000 Japanese-American citizens. Today, Trump is using the same law to paint Latinos as the “enemy.”
Latinos have been targeted before
1930s: 1.8 million Mexican-Americans, were deported under the false claim that they were taking jobs from “real Americans.”
1940s-60s: Mexican workers were issued visas to work but treated as disposable labor and deported once they were no longer needed.
1954: Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans were deported in military-style raids, sometimes leaving behind their U.S.-born children.
Even U.S. Citizens Aren’t Safe
Trump is using this wartime law to mass deport Latino immigrants, with Venezuelans being especially targeted. They’ve been removed without evidence, trial or due process. Americans and permanent residents are also being wrongfully detained by ICE.
To top it off, in his latest authoritarian move, Trump acted against the direct orders of a judge who ruled the move unconstitutional.
3 Ways To Help Your Community
- Understand the terrifying historical parallels — this is how injustice starts.
- Call out the propaganda. Immigrants are NOT “invading.” They’re human beings who contribute positively to this country every day. Do not let Trump dehumanize us.
- Demand action from lawmakers. Call your Senators and Representatives. Politicians must be pressured to stop this abuse of power before it expands further.
