Ex-Authoritarians See Echoes of Old Regimes in Trump’s Tactics
Several immigrants who fled authoritarian regimes expressed alarm at tactics employed during the Trump administration, finding parallels to their home countries’ oppressive practices. These included aggressive questioning and phone searches at borders, reminiscent of the surveillance and intimidation they experienced abroad. Conversely, some immigrants, such as Lily Tang Williams, felt the Biden administration’s actions, particularly regarding censorship, were more reminiscent of authoritarian tactics. Concerns extended to academia, with professors fearing self-censorship due to potential repercussions from the administration’s actions. The targeting of news organizations further mirrored tactics used by authoritarian leaders in other nations.
John Q. Hosedrinker