The Border Wall's Most Staunch Defender Gets a Taste of His Own Doctrine
When right-wing Brazilian influencer Júnior Pena publicly celebrated Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, dismissing all targeted migrants, including his own countrymen, as 'crooks,' he was echoing a long-established playbook of dehumanization designed to justify state violence. His recent arrest by ICE in New Jersey reveals a classic pattern: the enthusiastic collaborator with oppressive systems
eventually becomes a victim of those systems. FIRST INSTANCE: The Irony of the 'Alien and Sedition Acts' (1798) The United States' first major foray into national security legislation and immigration control, the Alien and Sedition Acts, empowered the President to deport 'dangerous' non-citizens. These laws were heavily supported by Federalists, primarily to target perceived French sympathizers
and recent Irish immigrants. John Adams, a strong proponent, signed them into law. The acts were so broadly applied that critics argued they could be used to silence dissent among citizens as well as non-citizens, leading to a significant backlash and ultimately contributing to the Federalist party's decline. The principle: once the state gains unchecked power to define 'undesirable,' the
definition expands. REPETITIONS: The 'Red Scare' and 'Operation Wetback' (1920s-1950s) During the first 'Red Scare' of the 1920s, figures like Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer spearheaded campaigns against suspected anarchists and communists. Many immigrants, regardless of their political leanings, were swept up. Later, 'Operation Wetback' in 1954 saw millions of Mexicans, including US citizens