The Unsuspected Success Of Donald Trump s Campaign For...

The unsuspected success of Donald Trump’s campaign for president has proved to be the spark of a new nativist moment in the United States. Open hostility and opposition to immigration has moved into mainstream culture, as Americans become increasingly intolerant of migrants as a result of their financial and cultural woes. Nativist sentiments are not a novel fixture of American political culture, however, as throughout history there have been countless crusades against migratory movements of the Irish, Chinese, Japanese, and countless other minority groups. The rationale behind nativist movements, however convoluted, seems to reduce to the notion that it is in the nature of the immigrant to cause economic and cultural harm to a nation, as immigrants steal jobs, scrounge off social welfare benefits, contribute the rising crime rates, and warp the indigenous culture of the host country. However, the reality is that immigrants are essential components in the U.S. economy and cult ural fabric, playing a key role in the creation of economic well being and contributing positive influences to the American experience. Calls by Mr. Trump and past demagogic leaders to essentially ban immigrants can be traced back to racism, xenophobia, and the urge to scapegoat a helpless group for the economic troubles facing many Americans. Perhaps the strongest tool that Trump has abused in his campaign is his appeals to genuine economic hardships facing Americans stemming from the Great