Since coming to serve a second term as the President of the United States, one of Donald Trump’s primary agendas has been to take control of America’s immigrant population. To achieve that, he has partnered with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has been conducting raids throughout the state.
For several months, these incursions have been the sole cause of distress for groups affected by them. Sometimes, innocent civilians are being dragged out of their homes and workplaces and separated from their families, only to be deported later. The visuals of all these incidents are out there for the public to see, and they are indeed very gruesome. However, the ICE and President Donald Trump remain undeterred in their efforts. In fact, Trump is more driven than ever towards his immigrant crackdown programme in the U.S.
In recent times, Trump has been trying to include other cities in conducting ICE raids. Unsurprisingly, these cities are predominantly Democrat-run, which makes it very clear where his intentions lie. Trump has expressed interest in deploying his troops in Illinois and Oregon. However, officials in these states have opposed him. They tried to block him legally, but he did not pay heed to the rulings. He has also given several hate speeches about these US states, insinuating that they are facing a “war” like situation which requires intervention from the President, somehow legitimising the use of military troops in those places.
As Trump doubles down on his attempts to seek greater control over states in the US, protests have erupted throughout the country. People are taking to the streets and burning US flags as a way of protesting the current government and Trump.
The President’s sympathisers have used this opportunity to spread more hate, reducing those involved to terrorists such as Antifa. Trump-leaning influencer Nick Sortor, who was allegedly attacked by a protester while trying to stop a flag from burning, called President Trump to take strict action against the individual involved. As a response, during a recent conference, Trump announced a 1 year penalty for burning the US flag, which, according to him, could “agitate” people and incite “riots.” During the same event, he also spoke about taking the “freedom of speech away” during such circumstances. Trump’s shocking comments made people uncomfortable, and they took to social media to share their views. On X, one person wrote:
“That’s exactly how authoritarian leaders tend to reveal themselves: not with hidden actions, but with open confessions wrapped in pride. When Trump says “We took the freedom of speech away” and no one in the room reacts, it’s a sign of how far democracy has already slipped.”
Many people on the platform echoed similar sentiments, including a surprising number of Republicans. The verdict is in: people are no longer excusing Trump’s behaviour and are recognising him for what he truly is- a hate-mongering dictator.
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