“Mass deportation now!” signs and chants of “send them back” filled the air at Donald Trump’s campaign rallies. He and his supporters say their rage is over illegal immigrants, but it’s hard not to question that, and here’s why.
Through executive order, Trump has taken away immigration enforcement protections for safe sites such as schools, churches, and health care facilities. He has halted the humanitarian protection program for people trying to flee Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua and Cuba. He is trying to undo birthright citizenship, guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, for children of immigrants born here. He is creating situations where whole families, including members here legally, will be forced to consider leaving to avoid being separated. He has shut down CBP One, the Customs and Border Protection Agency’s app for undocumented immigrants to apply for legal entrance, and canceled all scheduled appointments. He continues to explore charging asylum seekers a fee. And he has placed federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff on leave.
Why is it fair to question that it’s only “illegals” Trump and his followers are after? For starters, mistakes are sure to occur in a rushed and emotionally charged mass deportation effort. Border czar Tom Homan admits there will be “collateral arrests.” Has Trump issued an executive order ensuring no legal immigrants end up as “collaterals”?
Here are more reasons for skepticism. Hoping to pressure whole immigrant families to leave, whether U.S. citizens or not, goes beyond just “illegals.” Terminating official channels for immigrants to legally enter our country does, as well. Discouraging and preventing asylum seekers from trying to legally enter the U.S. by charging them a fee isn’t targeting “illegals.” Combine these with simultaneously doing away with DEI staff, part of Project 2025’s openly white nationalist agenda, and the goal is obvious.
Trump’s Homeland Security Advisor and White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, Stephen Miller, admitted it at a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden in October: “America is for Americans and Americans only!” Maybe he meant, “America is for Americans who are legally American and for legal Americans only!” But that’s not what he said. Americans aren’t stupid, they know exactly what he meant, and the 2024 election results suggest the majority of them are right there with him.
And then there’s Vermont.
Perhaps Google’s AI overview service captures Vermont and immigration best. Type in “anti-immigration activists in Vermont” and you’ll see the following. “There is not much information about anti-immigration activists in Vermont, but there are many immigrant rights activists and organizations in the state.”
An article about Vermont state immigration laws on the FIndLaw website states, “This (ACLU vs. VT DMV) settlement shows that Vermont is more favorable to immigrants’ rights. Also, “Vermont is where immigrants get more protection.”
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center’s website ranks Vermont in the top 10 states in providing immigrant protection in 2024. And finally, from our state Agency of Human Services State Refugee Office: “The mission of the State Refugee Office is to promote and provide a safe and welcoming home for refugees and immigrants, and to promote their full participation as self-sufficient individuals and families in the economic, social, and civic life of Vermont.”
Combine these with the fact that almost two-thirds of Vermont voters rejected Trump and his anti-immigrant proposals, and it’s easy to see where Vermont stands on immigration. Yet, nearly one-third of Vermont voters did cast their vote directly for Trump.
In recent decades, immigrants have never comprised more than 5% of Vermont’s population, and only once reached 6% of its workforce. Maybe those voters picked Trump out of concern for our nation as a whole. As recently as 2022, immigrants made up 18% of the nation’s total workforce. In 2023, they were 14.3% of its total population. Do these numbers justify the kind of mass deportation effort Trump is commanding?
Christian nationalists are a driving force behind America’s war on immigration, despite what the Bible says about nationalism and entitlement, the two beliefs central to anti-immigrant sentiment. It denounces nationalism of any kind, and reminds us that all belongs to God. It’s hard not to assume “all” includes America and “American” jobs.
So why did that third of voters help re-elect Trump? Yes, inflation was part of his platform. But given his disproportionate focus on demonizing immigrants, which voters could not have missed, it’s a fair guess they chose him for that, too. Because if they felt Christian love, or even just indifference, toward immigrants, there’s no way they would then turn and scapegoat them simply in hopes of cheaper eggs.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Mark Skelding: Please keep up your good works, Vermont .