In a commentary, SMU Professor of Political Science Chandran Kukathas argued that while the Trump administration frames its immigration agenda as a defence of American values like liberty and equality, it in fact undermines them by increasing state control. Citing historical cases – such as the forced departure of two million people, over half of whom were U.S. citizens of Mexican descent – he opined that immigration control is often less about regulating entry than about controlling behaviour. To enforce this, governments must restrict citizens’ freedoms through penalties such as fines, imprisonment, or violence. These measures, Prof Kukathas warned, are inherently divisive, as some citizens will support them while others resist. Ultimately, he cautioned, the aggressive pursuit of immigration control risks reshaping the U.S. into a society less concerned with the liberty of others, eroding the very ideals it claims to protect.
