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Exclusion and Expulsion [1]
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Date: 2025-06-08
A Century of Mass Deportations and Internments in the United States
Since its founding, the United States has promoted an image of itself as a haven for the oppressed—a land of immigrants, freedom, and equal opportunity. Yet the historical record tells a parallel story, one marked by exclusion, forced removal, and mass incarceration of those deemed "other" by the prevailing political winds. From the Great Depression to the post-9/11 era, the U.S. has repeatedly turned to mass deportation, internment, and expulsion as tools of social control. The pattern is not random. It is systemic, often racialized, and politically expedient — for BOTH parties, as I will show below. First, put on this as background:
The Mexican Repatriation (1929–1936)
“You won’t have a name when you ride the big airplane, all they will call you is deportee.”
During the Great Depression, some 1.8 million people of Mexican descent were forcibly removed from the United States, many under threat or coercion. Although officially framed as "voluntary repatriation," these removals occurred without due process and often included U.S.-born citizens. Local and federal authorities targeted Mexicans to reduce welfare burdens and open up jobs for white Americans. The result was one of the largest mass deportations in American history—rarely acknowledged in school curricula or public memory.
Japanese American Internment (1942–1946)
In the wake of Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, authorizing the forced relocation and internment of over 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry. Two-thirds were U.S. citizens. The internment camps were harsh, overcrowded, and stripped individuals of their property and livelihoods. No charges were filed, no trials held. It was not until 1988 that the U.S. government issued a formal apology and reparations, acknowledging the action as a grave injustice driven by racial prejudice rather than military necessity. George Takei (“Zulu” from Star Trek) was interned as a child and has spoken of it many times.
Operation Wetback (1954)
With Cold War nationalism on the rise, the U.S. launched Operation Wetback to expel Mexican laborers—many of whom had been recruited during WWII under the Bracero Program. The campaign deported over one million individuals, often with little regard for legal status or citizenship. Armed raids, racial profiling, and forced removals characterized the operation. Families were separated, and many deportees were left in unfamiliar parts of Mexico without support or resources. The operation exemplified a recurring theme: treating Latinos as disposable labor during booms, and as threats during busts.
Forty Years After Resettlement, Thousands of Southeast Asian Refugees Face Deportation
Southeast Asian Refugee Detentions (1975–1980s)
Following the Vietnam War, the U.S. accepted thousands of refugees from Southeast Asia. Yet the welcome was mixed. Many refugees were held in squalid camps, facing indefinite detention due to lack of diplomatic relations with their countries of origin. The U.S. government’s inconsistent policies created a limbo in which stateless individuals were criminalized rather than supported. These episodes reveal a darker underside to American humanitarianism—one that often falters when confronted with political complexity.
Haitian and Cuban Detentions (1980s–1990s)
The 1980 Mariel boatlift and successive waves of Haitian migration led to widespread detentions, including the use of Guantánamo Bay as a refugee holding center. U.S. policy selectively granted asylum to Cubans while denying the same protections to Haitians, reflecting racial and geopolitical biases. Thousands were held in legal limbo, often without access to adequate legal representation or humane conditions. Once again, detention became the default response to migration challenges.
Post-9/11 Roundups (2001–2003)
After the September 11 attacks, the U.S. government initiated a series of policies that targeted Muslims, Arabs, and South Asians for surveillance, detention, and deportation. Programs like NSEERS required special registration for men from predominantly Muslim countries, while immigration authorities detained hundreds—sometimes for months—without charge. Civil liberties were eroded in the name of national security, and communities were stigmatized based on religion and ethnicity. The echoes of Japanese internment were hard to ignore.
Obama-Era Mass Deportations (2009–2016)
Despite promises of reform, the Obama administration deported more individuals than any previous presidency—over three million. While programs like DACA provided limited relief, others such as Secure Communities empowered local law enforcement to funnel undocumented immigrants into federal custody.
Critics labeled Obama the "Deporter-in-Chief," pointing to family separations, raids, and the expansion of private detention facilities as evidence of a punitive immigration agenda cloaked in technocratic language. The table (right) gives some interesting clues.
Trump-Era Expulsions and Zero Tolerance (2017–2021)
The Trump administration escalated punitive immigration measures under the banner of nationalism and border security. Policies included the Muslim travel ban, family separations at the border, and the "Remain in Mexico" program, which left asylum seekers stranded in dangerous conditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the administration invoked Title 42 to conduct mass expulsions without due process. Images of children in cages and deportations of vulnerable populations shocked the world but were consistent with a historical pattern of scapegoating immigrants in times of crisis.
Biden Administration and the Continuities of Crisis (2021–2025)
The Biden administration campaigned on a promise of humane immigration reform, yet many Trump-era policies persisted or were only partially rolled back. Title 42 remained in effect until 2023, and mass deportations of Haitians—such as the widely publicized removals in Del Rio, Texas—drew criticism from human rights groups. While rhetoric softened, the underlying machinery of detention and expulsion largely remained intact, reflecting institutional inertia and political caution.
Conclusion: A Pattern, Not an Aberration
From 1925 to the present, U.S. deportation and internment policies have followed a consistent pattern: they arise in times of perceived crisis, target marginalized communities, and are justified through legal sleight-of-hand or executive action. Far from anomalies, these episodes reflect a structural reliance on expulsion as a tool of governance. Recognizing this pattern is not merely a historical exercise—it is a political imperative.
Understanding the past is the first step toward changing the future. Mass deportations and internments are not relics of a more brutal age. They are ongoing realities, woven into the very fabric of American power.
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