“They” say, the United States is being invaded. This isn\u2019t just Trumpian rhetoric. It\u2019s a pivotal legal argument behind many of the anti-migrant actions of the Department of Homeland Security.\u00a0\u00a0They cite the Alien Act of 1798 (the John Adams\u2019 Administration) as the legal basis for rounding up non-citizen documented residents, legally in the US,\u00a0\u00a0and deporting them from the country.\u00a0\u00a0The Alien Act allows the President:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026<\/em>to order all such aliens as he shall judge dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States, or shall have reasonable grounds to suspect are concerned in any treasonable or secret machinations against the government thereof, to depart out of the territory of the United States\u2026\u201d (National Archives<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just a little historic background.\u00a0\u00a0In 1798 the new United States was on the verge of war with France. But, more importantly, it was immersed in internal political turmoil.\u00a0\u00a0 The governing party, the Federalists led by President John Adams, favored Great Britain.\u00a0\u00a0They knew that the nation was still dependent on trade with their former King.\u00a0\u00a0The British were already at war with France (again), and Adams wanted to maintain commerce, particularly in New England.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The opposition party, the Democratic-Republicans led by Vice President Thomas Jefferson, were sympathetic to the republican goals of the French revolutionaries.\u00a0\u00a0After all, a lot of their revolutionary principles were copied from America\u2019s documents, including Jefferson\u2019s own Declarations.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0They also felt beholden to the American\/French Revolutionary alliance against the British.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adams wanted to be \u201crid\u201d of the constant criticism he was getting in the Democratic-Republican newspapers and pamphlets.\u00a0\u00a0And there was also an absolute question for the new nation (born only twenty-two years before): who was a citizen?\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Originally, the Articles of Confederation (the precursor to the US Constitution) \u201cpassed the buck\u201d to the states to determine citizenship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Article IV. The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the different states in this union, the free inhabitants of each of these states, paupers, vagabonds and fugitives from Justice excepted, shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several states; (National Archives<\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n So the states decided, and the Nation accepted the legal actions of each state.\u00a0\u00a0However, when the new United States Constitution took effect in 1788,\u00a0\u00a0Congress passed a more uniform definition of becoming a citizen \u2013 the Naturalization Act of 1790 (and 1795):<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026any Alien being a free white person, who shall have resided withing the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States for the term of two years, may be admitted to become a citizen\u2026 (Mount Vernon<\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n But two years wasn\u2019t enough for the beleaguered Adams\u2019 Federalists. They felt that \u201cnew\u201d migrants were overwhelming supporting their political rivals, the Democratic-Republicans.\u00a0\u00a0So in 1798, they changed the naturalization rules again. This time, it took\u00a0fourteen\u00a0years of residence in the United States (almost back to the end of the American Revolution).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026<\/em>he shall have declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States, five years, at least, before his admission, and shall, at the time of his application to be admitted, declare and prove, to the satisfaction of the court having jurisdiction in the case, that he has resided within the United States fourteen years\u2026 (Naturalization Act of 1798<\/a>).<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n That gave Adams a lot more latitude to \u201cremove\u201d (under the Alien Act) those ugly voices who were constantly criticizing him. He used the threat of war to deal with his \u201cpolitical\u201d problem. And he used citizenship and deportation as a threat to stifle his opponents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It is that same \u201cthreat of war\u201d; the so-called \u201cinvasion\u201d of undocumented migrants, that the Trump Administration is using to round-up long-time US residents today. \u00a0\u00a0They are also using the Alien Act to remove legal residents who exercise their First Amendment right to criticize the government. The Administration claims that those are,\u00a0\u00a0\u201c\u2026now dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But what is the real threat of undocumented migrants?\u00a0\u00a0The vast majority of migrants are working, contributing, taxpaying members of American society.\u00a0\u00a0Certain industries, including agriculture, construction, food processing, hotels and restaurants; are highly dependent on migrant labor.\u00a0\u00a0And studies shows that the crime rate among the undocumented is far below the rate of \u201cregular\u201d citizens (US House <\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Imbedded deep in the \u201clore\u201d of far-right America, is the concept of the \u201cGreat Replacement Theory\u201d (Forum<\/a>).\u00a0\u00a0A section of the political right believe that the existence of long-term undocumented migrants in the United States is a mortal \u201cpolitical danger\u201d to the MAGA-Republican Party (much as migrants threatened John Adams\u2019 Federalists).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n It starts with this fact:\u00a0in the next two decades, white people in the United States will become a minority. (Texas A&M<\/a>).\u00a0\u00a0This is \u201cexacerbated\u201d by the undocumented migrants. They are living in the United States and having children with what\u2019s called \u201cbirthright citizenship\u201d. That is the legal principle (14th<\/sup>\u00a0Amendment) that anyone born in the United States is legally a US citizen.\u00a0\u00a0The issue isn\u2019t that the undocumented are voting.\u00a0\u00a0All the legitimate studies of voting show that US elections are incredibly safe and accurate (Brennan<\/a>).\u00a0\u00a0But the children of the undocumented ARE LEGAL CITIZENS, and can vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And MAGA-world thinks they are going to vote for Democrats. (Just like Adams thought new citizens were voting for the Democratic-Republicans).\u00a0\u00a0Put bluntly:\u00a0\u00a0when the Tucker Carlson\u2019s of the world see \u201cbrown people\u201d, they see Democrats, and the end of their political power.\u00a0\u00a0And they are doing something about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Closing the border,\u00a0\u00a0Gestapo-like sweeps of undocumented migrants, mass deportations, ending birthright citizenship and most importantly, terror and intimidation all have a point.\u00a0\u00a0It hopes to stave off the\u00a0inevitable statistical fact:\u00a0\u00a0white people will soon be a minority in the United States. So, instead of transitioning the Republican Party to be more diversified and attractive to the coming, non-white majority (as was recommended in the Republican \u201cAutopsy of the 2012 Presidential Election\u201d\u2013ABC<\/a>), Steven Miller and the 2025 crowd want literally to \u201cmaintain\u201d the white face of American politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All of the heinous actions of the last six months are their \u201ccure\u201d for their so-called \u201cI see brown people\u201d disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The MAGA-2025 guys (and they definitely are guys, white \u201cbros\u201d) are standing on a beach, ordering the tide to stop.\u00a0\u00a0And they are willing to change the essential freedoms of America to save their \u201cvision\u201d,\u00a0\u00a0keep their feet dry, and maintain their own political future.\u00a0\u00a0That\u2019s the basic concern too many Americans overlooked in the 2024 election, as we got bogged down in the price of eggs or the mental health of two late septuagenarians.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Too many Americans missed the point \u2013 democracy was on the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I hope we\u2019ll get another chance to \u201ccure\u201d that mistake in 2026. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Adam\u2019s Critics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Fourteen Years<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s the Threat?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Great Replacement Theory<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Cure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n