On the very day he swore to protect the U.S. Constitution, President Donald Trump initiated efforts to alter it, issuing an executive order seemingly designed to eliminate the constitutional right of . This singular action foreshadowed a string of concerning power grabs in the months that followed, starting with immigration.
From the beginning of his initial presidential campaign to his second term, Trump has concentrated on the subject of , pushing the boundaries of authority and consolidating it. In my view, the road to authoritarianism is being paved using immigrants as a foundation.
As the leader of a legal advocacy group for immigrants, I have a direct view of the framework threatening our democracy. While appearing to only target immigrants, the construction involves both the infrastructure and the acquiescence that will enable a more widespread erosion of rights for all Americans.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump and Republicans systematically , establishing the basis for an attack on constitutional checks and balances. Through carefully staged photo opportunities, political ploys, and the spreading of fear, they fabricated false emergencies (like the that Haitian immigrants in Ohio are eating dogs) to persuade struggling Americans that immigrants were responsible for their economic difficulties and posed a threat to public safety.
Capitalizing on fear and his mass deportation plans, Trump, upon assuming office, swiftly moved to dismantle democratic protections. According to legal experts, he has violated rights by detaining and attempting to deport protesting students, academics, and immigrant leaders with dissenting opinions, claiming they have made statements or participated in activities against U.S. interests. Experts also caution that Trump has these individuals of due process guarantees, removing their legal status without offering hearings or opportunities to present evidence.
Mirroring the actions of authoritarian governments, these measures appear intended to frighten, silence, and even make dissenters disappear, fostering a climate of fear that forces public obedience. Even though the Trump Administration plans to revoke the visas of thousands of international students, this unpredictability has complicated and confused many people’s lives.
Trump has established a new system requiring millions of undocumented individuals—even those with pending immigration cases—to register, provide addresses and fingerprints, and constantly carry proof of registration. Authorities have detained a , including those with and even . This creates a painful dilemma, forcing an untenable choice: register and face immediate deportation, or refuse and be labeled a criminal for noncompliance, eliminating any chance of achieving legal status. The tactic intentionally creates fear and disarray while treating communities as criminals.
This registration policy is reminiscent of past atrocities that facilitated serious violations of human rights. In the U.S., forced registration contributed to the internment of Japanese Americans during and the profiling of male immigrants from 24 predominantly Muslim countries after .
Trump has cited wartime powers to broaden his authority and suspend constitutional safeguards. While many Americans may be surprised to learn that we are under “invasion,” Trump has invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows for the detention and removal of immigrants from hostile nations during a declared war. A federal judge appointed by Trump recently the application of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan immigrants, but it was this legal justification that permitted the deportation of hundreds of individuals to a well-known without any due process.
One of those people is , a Maryland father with legal authorization to reside in the U.S. Even though the Administration has acknowledged mistakenly deporting Abrego Garcia, Trump is to take any action to bring him back, disregarding Supreme Court and other federal court decisions.
At a White House with Salvadoran President , the leaders of both countries made the unbelievable assertion that they lack the authority to correct this serious error. In the meantime, Trump is now openly considering the possibility of deporting U.S. to that same prison.
This might not be the end of Trump’s use of the “invasion” justification to claim extraordinary powers during wartime. In one of his first , Trump mentioned that he was considering whether to invoke the . His secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security will not, for now, recommend doing so, but the potential impact: to immigrants in American neighborhoods.
While the attack on immigrants should concern us, we must also recognize that it is the first step towards taking away everyone’s rights. If we continue to normalize disappearances, silence international students, and carry out detentions without charges or trials, using these tactics on political opponents who are citizens will not be a big jump. And if kick in your neighbor’s door, the opportunity to speak without fear will have passed.
Trump is relying on fear to force us into silence. Instead of giving in, we must speak out to protect our increasingly vulnerable democracy before it disappears completely.