Credits: CNBC

Presidential hopeful Donald Trump has repeatedly characterized undocumented immigrants in the United States as detrimental to the nation’s well-being, referring to them as “poison” within our society. Jonathan Greenblatt, leader of the Anti-Defamation League, condemned Trump’s language as being not only racist and xenophobic but also despicable. The Democratic campaign led by President Joe Biden has likened Trump’s rhetoric to that of Adolf Hitler, who used similar terms like “blood poisoning” in his infamous manifesto, “Mein Kampf.”

Public opinion surveys consistently indicate that illegal immigration ranks as a top concern among voters. Trump has consistently portrayed immigration as a significant contributor to violent crime and economic decline. Additionally, Trump has insinuated in previous remarks that Democrats may be intentionally permitting migrants to enter the country to bolster their political base.

This narrative aligns with the far-right “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory, which alleges that leftist and Jewish elites are orchestrating the demographic and cultural displacement of white populations by immigrants of color, ultimately leading to a “white genocide.”

The ongoing debate over the economic impacts of immigration spans decades, with many researchers asserting that immigration generally stimulates economic growth.

According to a February Reuters/Ipsos poll, 33% of Republicans identified immigration as their primary concern, while only 6% of Democrats shared this view.

During a November rally in New Hampshire, Trump vowed to eradicate what he termed as “communists, Marxists, fascists, and radical left thugs” from within the nation’s borders. These remarks were met with criticism from congressional Democrats and some moderate Republicans. Historical analysis links the use of the term “vermin” to figures such as Hitler and Mussolini.

Political historians caution that dehumanizing language, including terms like “vermin,” can facilitate the erosion of rights from both residents and citizens, as they are perceived as less deserving of democratic or constitutional protections. For example, Nazis frequently dehumanized Jews by referring to them as lice, rats, and vermin.

Despite these comparisons, the Trump campaign has dismissed any parallels drawn to historical figures or regimes.