THE GREAT WALL

The Great wall: America's anti-Latino administration

The United States has always discriminated against Latinos. This discrimination started at the beginning of the 20th century when Mexicans were stereotyped as “violent criminals”. However, anti-Latino discrimination has become worse during the Trump administration. How is the Trump administration unjust to Latinos? Read ahead to find out.

The Mexican Wall

During his presidential election campaign, Trump called for an impenetrable wall to be constructed between the United States and Mexico.  As Trump came into power, he promised to build a 2000-mile long wall to keep Mexicans out. He even had the audacity to claim that Mexicans would fund the wall. He even selected six companies to build prototypes for the wall.

Trump’s reasoning for making this wall is completely unjustified. All his interviews stereotyped Mexicans as “violent rapists who are not good for the United States”. He explained that he did not want immigrants from “shithole” countries. Such a declaration, by Trump, is a resurrection of the racist stenotypes previously made against Mexicans.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Trump did not stop here. He abolished the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that Barack Obama had initiated. This program protected individuals who had come to the United States as children. Even though many leaders, catholic churches, business communities, and even the White House opposed the removal of the policy, Trump did not change his mind. Now adults are being forced out of their homes.

Trump has increased the deportation of undocumented Latinos even if they have not committed a crime. If undocumented Latinos are caught, they are harassed, are separated from their families and are detained or deported.

Chain migration

Chain migration, also known as family-based immigration, allows citizens and lawful permanent residents to bring people into the country. Chain migration has been an important part of the United States immigration system for the last 50 years. However, Trump has changed this immigration system. He has called for a merit-based immigration system called the RAISE Act. This act awards visas to immigrants with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, who can invest and benefit the United States.  Awarding visas based on this is part of Trump’s plan to highlight that Latino’s are inferior and unworthy citizens of the United States.

Trump’s bigoted comments and acts against Latinos have caused a rift between White and Latino citizens. White Americans have started abusing Mexican citizens. For instance, a year ago two white announcers made racist comments against Latino players of Eagle Grove. They said, “They’re all foreigners and as Trump would say, [they should] go back where they came from.”

The inequity and racism against people of color, especially Latinos, shows no sign of decreasing in the United States. It only promises to grow day by day.