During a rally in Greenville, North Carolina, on Monday, former President Donald Trump sparked controversy by suggesting that the U.S. should return to a time when the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 was in place to solve modern immigration challenges. Trump, who discussed his plans for mass deportations if re-elected, used the historical reference to emphasize his approach to immigration, but the comments drew swift backlash from activists.
“If Kamala gets four more years, you will not have a country left,” Trump warned his supporters, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris. He outlined his intention to “launch the largest deportation program in American history” on his first day in office, should he win the presidency again.
Trump claimed his plan would “rescue every town across America that has been invaded and conquered” by what he described as “vicious and bloodthirsty criminals.” He added that these individuals would either be imprisoned or deported, vowing to send them “back to where they came from.”
To expedite deportations, Trump proposed invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a law passed during the presidency of John Adams. “Think of that, 1798,” Trump told the crowd. “That’s when we had real politicians that said, we’re not going to play games.”
He went on to suggest that using this centuries-old law was key to his plan. “We have to go back to 1798 to target and dismantle every migrant criminal network operating on American soil,” he added.
However, Trump’s reference to 1798 quickly became a point of contention. Activists and critics pointed out that the policies of that era came with serious injustices, such as legalized slavery and the exclusion of women from voting. American Bridge, a progressive political group, highlighted this on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “By 1798, politicians had made it legal to own slaves and illegal for women to vote in America.”
While Trump’s rally remarks were meant to bolster his tough stance on immigration, they unintentionally revived debates about the problematic aspects of early American laws and policies, prompting a wave of criticism from those who argue that a return to such times would undermine modern democratic values.