It makes sense that Thanksgiving is the primary non-religious holiday in the United States, a nation of migrants.
The celebration immortalizes the gratitude that English settlers made for the generosity of the Wampanoag tribe during three days of, and probably very cold, festivities that would have taken place at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts in 1621.
It is revealing that Donald Trump and his Texan acolyte, Republican Governor Gregg Abbott, have chosen the weekend before Thanksgiving to unleash their fury against migrants, not all migrants, but those who arrive without papers across the border with Mexico.
On the one hand, Trump announced from the city of Edinburgh, Texas, that he will “take control” of the border if he is re-elected to the White House in the November 5, 2024 elections.
We already know, thanks to The New York Times, what the Trump team’s plans are: opening gigantic concentration camps for migrants; carrying out massive raids; separating minors from their parents; committing record deportations and completing their pharaonic border wall.
“His plans have nothing to do with fixing our immigration system, which he himself destroyed… Nor are they aimed at securing the border. It is about demonizing our community and separating our families,” says Democratic Representative from Texas, Verónica Escobar.
As an admirer of Trump’s policies, Abbott not only endorsed Trump during his visit to the border, but is also preparing to enact the controversial SB4 Law, one of the most radical laws against migrants in the history of the country which has been described as a xenophobic and racist legislation by organizations defending civil rights and migrants.
When it goes into effect, SB4 will allow Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) agents to arrest people they suspect have entered the state illegally, and summarily deport them without due process, in addition to criminalizing minors between 10 to 17 years of age.
In the Republican contest for first place as immigration villain, Abbott dethroned his Florida colleague Ron DeSantis.
During their visit to Texas, Trump and Abbott prematurely celebrated Thanksgiving. Smiling, Trump handed out utensils to police officers and members of the Texas National Guard. With a small box at his side, Abbott distributed napkins. Some agents, of Latino appearance, had the good fortune to pose for a photo with Trump. Others preferred the more intimate “selfie.”
It was a grotesque spectacle to see two politicians commemorate a day that is essentially a celebration of migration, announcing anti-immigrant policies. But it is an indelible image of the face and identity of the new Republican party, and a reminder of what awaits us if Trump is re-elected in 2024.
