User:MarahiMadrid/Discriminatrion resulting from political policies and rhetoric

Lead
The election of Donald Trump in 2016 served as a catalyst for a new wave of anti-immigrant legislation and rhetoric. Trump started off his campaign on June 16, 2015 where he infamously labeled Mexicans as criminals, drug dealers and rapists, and a promise to Make America Great Again. His Administration's 2017 policy of intentionally separating children from their families has left hundreds of children unable to find their parents, even with the help of the new administration. Instances of verbal abuse and outright terrorism to Mexican street vendors and employees has risen since Donald took office. However controversial the policies have been, the effect has had its intended effect, between 2016-2020, there were less people leaving Mexico for the US, than were leaving the US and going back to Mexico.

Article body

Since the Great Recession, illegal immigration has been catapulted to the forefront of public discourse with a wide range of consequences for those individuals who chose to migrate here illegally. The United States has always been a nation of Immigrants; with Mexico sharing over 1954 miles of border with the US, a large percentage of immigrants coming in during the 21st century have been of Mexican descent. The recession left millions without jobs and upended.

Trump's campaign started off with a promise to “Make America Great Again”, his supporters cheered as they saw this as a callback to the Reagan era, while his detractors slammed him for using a term loaded with potential racist undertones. The controversy arose from the last word, “again”; his supporters pointed to a time where family values were more commonplace, while Mexican immigrants and people of color saw it as a callback to a time in American history where people of color didn't have rights. The term, at best, is now known as a loaded term, with its own sense of controversy. Donald Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric was sparked with this announcement speech on July 16th, 2015. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” Followers of the soon to be President were quickly divisive and hateful and quickly believed his words which caused great deals of discrimination for years to come.

His slogan, as well as his demonization of Mexicans illegal immigrants at the onset of his campaign made one thing clear, he was not fond of illegal immigrants, and he was not afraid to use his platform to push his agenda. In response to his comments about illegal immigrants, ex-president Vicente Fox issued his own scathing statement where he didn’t mince words speaking on inaccuracies and dangers of having a world leader speak about a group of people with such contempt. Statistics show that 4 out of 5 drug trafficking crimes were committed by US citizens. And sex offenses by illegal immigrants in 2013 made up 1.6 percent.

The verbal violence brought out by Trump was manifested in confusing and temptation based on predominance and supremacy. It is ironic that Donald Trump inspired bullying while First Lady Melania was in charge of a national Anti-bullying campaign. Psychological, material, social injuries were brought on to individuals and groups of students, employees and citizens as not being recognized as physical violence. His rhetoric regarding the Southern Border and continuously chanting "Build the wall! Build the wall!" stood for non-whites from not entering the country. No only was his anti immigration policies set towards Mexico but Muslim countries as well.

Cases of hate crimes
Esteban Guzman

In 2015, a mother and her son were cleaning their yard in Runner Springs, about 80 miles east of LA when a caucasian woman approached them and said “go back to Mexico.” She also labeled them as criminals, drug traffickers, and rapists and stated “you are all illegal.” She was stating words directly from Donald Trump’s campaign speeches. These large audience speeches caused people to behave in this manner and discriminate against Latinos solely because of their race and ethnicity without knowing anything about them personally. This mother and her son were actually law abiding citizens while this arrogant individual thought else.

In Guzman's own words he stated:

"I am a US citizen, I am not that person that the president of the United states says I am. People look at me and the they see what he says on TV and that is not true"

El Paso mass killing inside Walmart

After President Donald Trump left The White House, the United States has kept the rhetoric in the people’s hands. Hate crimes against Latinos have risen exponentially even after he has left office. In 2019, of 51 hate crime killings in Texas, 22 of the victims died August 3rd 2019 in the "El Paso mass killing inside Walmart". Being one of the largest cities bordering Mexico, El Paso has a large population of Latinos. The murderer was Patrick Crusius, 21 of Allen Texas drove 11 hours to the Mexico bordering city of El Paso to murder 22 innocent individuals to their death. His acts were filled with anti-immigration views and white supremacy.

Crusius’s parents stated:

"were apparently influenced and informed by people we do not know, and from ideas and beliefs that we do not accept or condone, in any way. He was raised in a family that taught love, kindness, respect, and tolerance — rejecting all forms of racism, prejudice, hatred, and violence.”

.

 References