In the world of politics, strategists prefer tried-and-true methods. They rarely dive into the unknown – unless someone else was bold and wild enough to try it with success. Then any party is happy to co-opt that strategy and call it their own.

In 2016, after gliding down an escalator, Donald Trump blamed the challenges of America and misfortunes of some Americans on immigrants. In particular, he called out Mexicans as the ones “sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with them. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”

Blaming immigration for societal challenges ignited a country-wide fire that spread. Ironically, after Mitt Romney lost the bid for election four short years earlier, the Republican Party focused on courting the Latino vote. Then, this reality star saunters up to the microphone, throws out a line or two loaded with hatred and more than a tinge of racism, and it landed for many while incensing the other side. It was a visible target that the disgruntled could affix their crosshairs to and the other side could be disgusted by.

Trump gave life to a boogeyman. We went from Joe the plumber, a man struggling to make ends meet that many could appreciate, to Miguel, the dark-skinned Guatemalan who trekked through Mexico, crossed over to America illegally, is mowing lawns and doing odd jobs to give himself and his family a better life. Now, an entire voting group want you to believe he is the reason why we are paying more for bread and eggs and crime seems to be rampant.

Since that time, illegal entry, borders and crimes by immigrants have been the central issue on which the Republicans have campaigned. The easiest mark has been the border to our south, Mexico. Unemployment, inflation, crime, interest rates, health care are all a result of illegal........

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