This is apropos two back-to-back letters titled “Trump’s immigrant xenophobia and US Constitution” carried by the newspaper on Friday and yesterday. Beyond constitutional violations, Trump’s rhetoric sharply diverges from the broader societal and political norms of American democracy.

The U.S. is historically a nation of immigrants, and the American civic identity has long embraced diversity and multiculturalism. Trump’s statements that immigrants are “destroying the fabric” of the country contradict the American ethos of being a “melting pot,” where people from diverse backgrounds contribute to society.

The Pew Research Center has shown that immigrants—both legal and undocumented—are integral to the labor force, with over 17% of the U.S. workforce consisting of immigrants. Deporting large numbers of people, particularly without due process, risks destabilizing communities and entire industries that rely on immigrant labour.

Qamar Bashir

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024