America’s Greatest Threat: How Fear Shapes Perceptions of Mexican Immigrants
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On June 6, 2015, Donald Trump delivered an anti-immigration speech directed toward Mexican immigrants, saying, “When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best…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.” This ongoing rhetoric, which has shaped views on immigration since Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, portrays immigrants as threats to the United States. With Trump’s recent re-election, fear of these immigrants will grow, and perceptions of them will become increasingly polarized, creating uncertainty for the future of America and its immigrants.
In 2022, undocumented immigrants made up 11 million of the total American population, with Mexican immigrants making up half of that statistic. This has been an ongoing trend dating back to the 1942 agreement between Mexico and the US called the Bracero Program. Mexican labourers were given temporary visas for seasonal work until 1964 when Congress let the program expire. The cap was limited to 20,000 immigrants from Mexico per year. However, many Mexican immigrants began to migrate to the US without proper documentation to seek jobs, labelling them “illegal aliens” as opposed to workers. This term carries a negative connotation, dehumanizing immigrants and framing them as criminals.
The term “alien” dates back to 18th century England and refers to a foreigner or outsider—an individual born outside of the King’s territory. Over time, this term became associated with people classified as a threat to the peace and security of America. Today, terminology such as “illegal immigrants” or “undocumented workers” are preferred. However, the media uses “aliens” as a way to shape perceptions of immigrants, specifically Mexican immigrants. For example, “illegal alien” implies that immigrants are criminals and an “invading foreigner,” whereas the term “undocumented workers” suggests that immigrants are hard-working individuals who simply lack official documentation. This word choice shapes the public’s perspective toward Mexican immigrants, who are portrayed as threats to the country which in turn leads to a stronger desire for affirmative immigration policies.
Trump’s 2016 presidential platform centred immigration, promising policies rooted in xenophobia and racism. His media presence during that campaign demonstrated his attitude towards Mexican immigrants, as partisan media outlets suggested that undocumented Mexican immigrants “steal jobs ‘meant’ for U.S. residents” or disrupt the safety and security of the nation. With the rise of populism, many Republicans followed suit, aligning themselves with Trump’s rhetoric and demanding stricter immigration policies. Immigrants thus became an easily blamable target.
These portrayals led Americans to believe that Mexican immigrants pose a threat, intensifying prejudice against them. This is reflected in a Pew Research Center study demonstrating that 53% of Latinos have experienced discrimination based on their race or ethnicity. While not unique to Mexican immigrants, this perpetuates stereotypes of Latino immigrants as a whole, targeting them as threats to crime and economics in the US. This is indicated in a 2024 Gallup poll, where respondents felt that illegal immigration was the greatest threat to national security. Presidential administrations between 2001 and 2019 have reflected this, where major policy goals have focused on “restricting border access and deporting undocumented immigrants.”
So, what does all of this mean? It highlights the impact of political rhetoric and media portrayal as key roles in shaping attitudes toward Mexican immigrants. It creates an aggressive environment where racism and negative treatment is justified. Rather than focusing on the root causes of immigration, these narratives perpetuate fear and misinformation, leading to immigration policies that do more harm than good. These ideas of immigration rely more on harmful stereotypes rather than the actual status of the immigrant, ignoring the realities of their experiences and dehumanizing them.
As Donald Trump serves as the 47th President of the United States, his stance on immigration will continue to drive Americans toward negative assumptions about Mexican immigrants. While claiming that he will enact more more aggressive policies toward immigrants, Trump has vowed to “carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.” Despite its legal implications, his position will continue to gain support because of the fear perpetuated against immigrants from employed terminology such as “aliens” or “illegal immigrants.” Mexican immigrants are no longer seen as people, but as threats. America seems to have a problem of its own, and it may become its worst animal yet.