Trump’s Attempt to Deport Ilhan Omar Is Another Leap Toward the Abyss

In his final speech as president, Ronald Reagan emphasized the essential role of immigration in American greatness. “We lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people — our strength — from every country and every corner of the world,” he said. Reagan cited a letter he’d received about how one can’t simply move to France and become a Frenchman or move to Japan and become Japanese. “But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American,” he said.

Donald Trump, who launched his political career with lies about Barack Obama’s birthplace, is devoted to destroying this ideal. For Trump and his movement, real Americans are defined by race and ancestry. The administration’s war on birthright citizenship stems from that belief. It’s the reason Trump, who accused immigrants of “poisoning the blood” of our country, has limited refugee resettlement almost exclusively to white South Africans. JD Vance........

© The New York Times