The following explains how Donald Trump’s pronouncements must play out if he is being sincere.
The United States of America is often celebrated as a melting pot of cultures, a land built by people from all corners of the globe seeking new opportunities. However, one crucial fact remains frequently overlooked: apart from Native Americans, every single person in the USA is an immigrant or a descendant of immigrants. This reality underscores the country’s complex and often painful history of migration, settlement, and displacement.
The Original Inhabitants
Long before Europeans set foot on the American continent, Indigenous peoples had been living on the land for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence suggests that Native American ancestors migrated from Asia via the Bering Land Bridge over 15,000 years ago. Over time, they developed diverse cultures, languages, and civilisations, from the agricultural societies of the Cherokee and Iroquois to the hunter-gatherer communities of the Plains tribes. Their sovereignty over the land was unquestioned until European colonisation began in the late 15th century.
European Colonisation and Forced Displacement
Christopher Columbus’s arrival in 1492 marked the beginning of an era of European exploration and settlement. The Spanish, French, Dutch, and, later, the British established colonies, often at the expense of Native American communities. The arrival of European settlers led to war, disease, and displacement, devastating Indigenous populations. The forced removal of Native Americans continued well into the 19th century, most infamously through policies like the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which led to the Trail of Tears, during which thousands of Native Americans were forcibly relocated to lands west of the Mississippi River.
Waves of Immigration
Following European colonisation, the USA became a beacon for immigrants seeking religious freedom, economic opportunity, or refuge from conflict. The 19th and 20th centuries saw massive waves of immigration:
- 17th-18th centuries: British, Dutch, French, and Spanish settlers, alongside enslaved Africans brought against their will.
- 19th century: Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Famine, German settlers seeking economic stability, and Chinese labourers working on railroads.
- Early 20th century: Italians, Eastern Europeans, and Jewish immigrants escaping persecution or seeking economic prosperity.
- Late 20th-21st century: Latin American, Asian, and Middle Eastern immigrants contributing to the cultural and economic fabric of the nation.
Each group faced discrimination upon arrival but ultimately became integral to American society.
The Paradox of Anti-Immigration Sentiment
Despite its immigrant roots, the USA has a long history of resistance to new waves of migrants. The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882), the Immigration Act of 1924, and recent debates over border control all highlight tensions between established communities and newcomers. Ironically, many who oppose immigration today are themselves descendants of those who were once unwelcome. Even Mr Trump himself will have to decide whether it is Germany or Scotland for him.
Recognising the True History
Understanding that everyone in the USA, apart from Native Americans, has immigrant ancestry is crucial in shaping modern immigration policies and attitudes. The American identity is one of diversity, shaped by generations of people seeking a better life. Acknowledging this fact not only honours the nation’s true history but also fosters a more inclusive and empathetic society.
As the debate over immigration continues, remembering that the only true non-immigrant Americans are Native Americans can help reframe the conversation. The USA is, and always has been, a land of immigrants; built, shaped, and continually enriched by them.
If Donald Trump means what he says, the populations of the UK, Scotland, Ireland, Europe and many other countries are about to swell as hundreds of millions of people are ejected. Including Trump himself.
