This is apropos my three letters to the Editor carried by the newspaper in recent days Trump’s inflammatory language undermines the norms of respect and civil discourse that have long been foundational to U.S. politics. His labeling of immigrants as “animals” and “stone-cold killers” deviates from the accepted standards of political debate, where even contentious issues have typically been discussed within a framework of civility.

This kind of rhetoric can have real consequences: studies by the FBI and Southern Poverty Law Center show that hate crimes surged following the 2016 election, fueled in part by inflammatory political language. Such outcomes illustrate how rhetoric that deviates from constitutional norms and societal expectations can foster a dangerous atmosphere of division, hatred, and violence.**

Economically, mass deportations would severely disrupt industries that rely heavily on immigrant labor, such as agriculture, manufacturing, and services. Immigrants contribute billions of dollars in taxes and are integral to the workforce, and their removal would lead to labor shortages and increased costs for businesses and consumers.

Moreover, the financial burden of implementing such policies, including the establishment of detention camps, would fall on taxpayers.

Politically, Trump’s alienation of immigrant voters could mobilize them to vote against him in large numbers, particularly in swing states like Michigan, where immigrant communities play a key role. His divisive agenda not only threatens the economy and public order but also risks deepening polarization in an already fractured society.

Qamar Bashir

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024