In the first installment of a two-part series on immigration, the girlies ask an important question: what gives someone the right to call a place home — and who gets to decide? Is citizenship a moral construct, or just a legal one? If borders are made up, why do they control so much of our lives?
In light of the ongoing deportation horrors and increasingly aggressive border enforcement, we’re looking back to figure out how we got here. From early immigration through World War I, we trace the long, messy history of who’s been allowed in, who’s been shut out, and how the U.S. has used immigration as a tool for control, exclusion, and scapegoating.
Everyone, regardless of immigration status, has rights under the U.S. Constitution. You have the right to remain silent, the right to refuse a search without a warrant, and the right to speak to a lawyer. For more information and resources, visit ilrc.org & aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights.
This episode was produced by Julia Hava and Eliza McLamb and edited by Allison Hagan. Research assistance from Kylie Finnigan.
To support the podcast on Patreon and access 50+ bonus episodes, mediasodes, zoom hangouts and more, visit patreon.com/binchtopia and become a patron today.
SOURCES:
4 things to know about the Alien Enemies Act and Trump's efforts to use it
A Brief History of U.S. Immigration Policy from the Colonial Period to the Present Day
A History of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798
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Americans’ Views of Deportations
Chinese Immigration and the Chinese Exclusion Acts
Federal Government Detains International Student at Tufts
Historical Context: The Post-World War I Red Scare
How does deportation work, and how much does it cost? We break it down
Immigration judge denies bond for Tufts University student from Turkey, her lawyers say
Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act Regarding the Invasion of The United States by Tren De Aragua
Isolationism and U.S. Foreign Policy After World War I
Mahmoud Khalil arrest: Can the US deport a green card holder?
Reported: Administration officials direct ICE to increase arrests to meet daily quotas
Secretary of State Marco Rubio Remarks to the Press
Targeting of Tufts Student for Deportation Stuns Friends and Teachers
The Alien Enemies Act Is Outdated, Dangerous, and Ripe for Abuse
The Alien Enemies Act, Explained
The Alien Enemies Act: The One Alien and Sedition Act Still on the Books
The Alien Enemies Act: What to know about a 1798 law that Trump has invoked for deportations
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The Sedition and Espionage Acts Were Designed to Quash Dissent During WWI
The U.S. Confiscated Half a Billion Dollars in Private Property During WWI
To my husband, Mahmoud Khalil: I can’t wait to tell our son of his father’s bravery
Trump is promising deportations under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. What is it?
Trump officials issue quotas to ICE officers to ramp up arrests
Tufts University student can’t be deported to Turkiye without court order
What WW1 civilian internment can teach us about today
When John Adams Signed a Law to Authorize Deportations and Jail Critics
Who is Mahmoud Khalil? Palestinian activist detained by ICE over Columbia University protests
‘Where’s Alex?’ A Beloved Caregiver Is Swept Up in Trump’s Green Card Crackdown