Before entrenching himself in power for a second term, US President Donald Trump has already begun taking action. With the slogan "Make America Great Again," he came to office and made his first announcement to deport all undocumented immigrants. The primary focus of the executive orders he signed on his inauguration day was the same. To say that Trump's moves are unexpected is absurd. The only thing left to watch is how far Trump will overstep global norms and basic decency. It is with such an absurd drama of deporting undocumented immigrants that he has marked the beginning of his actions. The deportation of undocumented immigrants is a long-standing practice in America. Several states implemented policies that led to the expulsion of immigrants, often sparking controversy over their disregard for international norms. During his election campaign, Trump made bold promises, speaking with confidence about the need to deport immigrants, often emphasizing their ethnicity as a key factor. Once in power, he swiftly followed through on these promises, expelling large numbers of undocumented individuals. After securing his victory, Trump pushed forward with policies aimed at limiting the rights of immigrants, ensuring that they faced significant challenges in settling down within the U.S.
If Trump has, within a few days of taking office, began taking aggressive actions against undocumented immigrants, his approach towards immigrants, marked by extreme xenophobia, becomes a harsh and brutal series of actions. The deportation methods employed by Trump’s administration to expel individuals from countries in search of jobs constitute some of the most inhumane and harsh practices. Immigrants from South American countries like Colombia and Brazil were expelled using military aircraft and sent back to their home countries as if they were criminals. Last week, 88 individuals from Brazil were deported after enduring severe mistreatment, including physical abuse, deprivation of clean water, and denial of washroom access, all while being transported in military aircraft. In some instances, the air conditioning was turned off by the authorities. Those who sought help were met with severe retaliation. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva demanded a formal explanation from U.S. authorities and international organizations. Whether international norms, as well as basic human decency, racial prejudice, and abuse of power, will bother Trump is another matter.
Another country that has faced the brunt of Trump's tyranny is Colombia. Mexico and Canada were considered the first targets, but the hostility eventually escalated to Colombia, which had not reached the same level of enmity. The president caught off-guard, however, did not allow two American planes carrying immigrants. The enraged U.S. president's retaliation was swift – a 25% tariff was imposed on all imports from Colombia. Travel restrictions and the cancellation of visas for Colombian government officials were also part of the retaliation. In response, Colombia agreed to accept those returning, prompting the U.S. to withdraw the imposed tariffs. Colombia, one of the largest trade partners of the U.S., conducted trade worth 53.5 billion USD in 2022. The U.S. relies on Colombia for crude oil, coffee, fruits, and flowers. Trump did not consider how the price hike of these essential goods would impact his own people. Trump had only one message for both enemies and allies: "Cooperate, fine. If not, you're out." All those who know the current situation in America have said that, without proper precautions, this strategy would not have led to much progress. However, despite the common factors having no impact, Trump's confrontational actions have raised concerns even among seasoned political figures, like those in Britain.
Donald Trump came to make America great again for the second time. Locking up the helpless immigrants in chains and not allowing them to touch the water, pushing them outside the border in his so-called 'great' first reform. At the time, the hostages of America's 'great' war, who were taken to Gaza's prisons, were released with gifts and services. This forced removal resembled nothing but a colonial-style execution. Power and weaponry alone do not make individuals or nations great; it is humanity and wisdom that elevate them. Nations and peoples are sustained by humane touch and moral integrity. But there is no use of wailing: will those who talk on rooftops with spite and revenge se of revenge realise any of this.
