Study Links Anti-Immigration Conspiracies to Violence, Threats to Democracy

Recent research highlights how belief in anti-immigration conspiracy theories is strongly linked to both conventional and violent opposition to immigration, as well as broader skepticism about democracy, suggesting significant societal implications. Meanwhile, the U.S. has seen a surge in immigration crackdowns, with the Trump administration issuing executive orders targeting sanctuary cities and states, accelerating deportations, and seeking to bypass immigration courts, actions that have raised due process concerns and drawn criticism over the treatment of families and children. Critics argue these efforts risk undermining civil liberties and due process protections, while supporters contend they are necessary for national security and border control. The debate is further complicated by persistent claims that the main threat at the southern border is not humanitarian migration but infiltration by ideological extremists, with some reporting arrests of individuals linked to Islamist groups. This narrative fuels public anxiety, influencing immigration policy and public discourse. The confluence of these factors underscores the polarized and highly charged nature of the current immigration debate in the United States.