Another consistent feature of the American war on migrants, is a sort of fascist two-step surrounding the term "criminal." Typically, and even long before Trump, white supremacists in government office will justify hunting down and brutally suppressing migrants by claiming that they are only going after dangerous "criminals," often while invoking largely isolated stories of migrants committing violent crimes, to generate the necessary fear and outrage needed to maintain public support for these policies. The reality however is that once you see the system functioning in real time, the "dangerous" or "violent" part stops mattering, and folks end up being targeted for minor offenses, or even the civil "crime" of overstaying their visas in the United States; particularly under right wing reactionary governments, but even more so under the Trump regime and the modern fascist GOP.
Take for example the recent news that nearly forty international students had their visas cancelled and were ordered to leave the United States by the Trump administration for minor civil offenses, including in one case, a speeding ticket.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/07/trump-student-visas-deportation
Deported over a speeding ticket? Dozens of US students’ visas abruptly revoked
"Lisa is one of several students across states who found their legal status revoked by the US government on 4 April, without prior notice or clear explanation. University statements show that at least 39 students have been affected, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, Stanford, Ohio State, the University of Tennessee, the University of Kentucky, Minnesota State University and the University of Oregon.
An online self-reported data sheet created by affected students suggests the issue may be more widespread. Students from 50 universities reported their visas were canceled around 4 April, with many noting that they had prior records, some limited to citations or non-criminal offenses.
This secret wave of revocation came a few days after the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, announced the revocation of 300 or more student visas. “We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas,” he said at a news conference on 27 March, referring to students he described as national security threats.
Lisa’s university had included a screenshot of her Sevis record in the message. Termination was logged on 4 April by a system administrator, with a note: “Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their VISA revoked.”
Please keep in mind here that I couldn't find any evidence, anywhere, that the students targeted in this story participated in anti-genocide protests or any activities Downmarket Mussolini has defined as "anti-American." The purpose here doesn't appear to be a question of ideological policing, or political reprisals - this is the regime deporting foreign students because it hates foreign students and ruining these young people's lives helps the nazis make their nativist deportation quotas. The only relevant "crime" any of these folks committed appears to be that they were foreign students who could have their visas revoked and then be deported under the guise of purging the US of foreign "criminals."
