It's The White Nationalism, Stupid -- Tom Sullivan

[erronis]

https://digbysblog.net/2025/10/29/its-the-white-nationalism-stupid/

Nonwhites are in Trump/Miller’s crosshairs

“The horrifying videos of masked ICE agents terrorizing communities are now the signature images of Trump’s second term,” Dan Pfeiffer explains. He makes a greater point that needs making (emphasis mine):

While revenge and graft seem to be Trump’s greatest passions, it’s his revanchist, extreme anti-immigration agenda that motivates the people around him. Stephen Miller speaks in apocalyptic terms about immigrants destroying American culture. The Department of Homeland Security is amplifying white supremacist dog whistles. The policy hacks are pulling every lever of government to expel as many legal immigrants as possible and treat anyone undocumented with maximum cruelty.

Immigration has long been Trump’s political cudgel—used to beat Democrats into submission. The whole premise of high-profile ICE raids, complete with social media crews in tow, is to bait Democrats into a debate on what Trump believes is his strongest issue. He wants to position himself on the side of “law and order” and paint Democrats as defenders of criminals and drug traffickers. This is the reflexive response—delivered with maximum smugness—to any criticism of ICE’s conduct.

If reversing illegal immigration was Trump 2.0’s sales pitch during last year’s campaign, by now it is simply a cover story. The real game here is white nationalism. Examine Stephen Miller’s tweets, if you dare. Or the DHS social media feed’s white nationalist dog whistles. The one at top characterizes its task as destroying “the Flood,” treating undcumented immigrants as parasitic aliens from the HALO franchise.

. . .

Much, much more in Tom's excellent post.