The Trump regime is abducting and smuggling US citizens out of the country

Let’s look at the definition of some words.


Deportation (noun): 2. the removal from a country of an alien whose presence is unlawful or prejudicial (source: Merriam-Webster)

Alien (noun): 1a. a foreign-born resident who has not been naturalized and is still a subject or citizen of a foreign country (source: Merriam-Webster)


So deportation only applies to non-citizens.

So calling the removal of citizens from the US without due process isn’t deportation. What is it then?

Looking through the dictionary I think that “abduct” is probably the most accurate, although “kidnap” is close (kidnap implies ransom, abduct doesn’t).


Abduct (verb): 1. to seize and take away (a person) by force (source: Merriam-Webster)

Kidnap (verb): to seize and detain or carry away by unlawful force or fraud and often with a demand for ransom (source: Merriam-Webster)


As for the illegal movement of people across borders (in or out), that’s smuggling. And if the government pays a third party to transport the US citizens or pays people on the receiving end to take them, that’s trafficking.

So what is it when citizens are taken by force and then sent out of the country with no due process (aka “illegally”)?

Abduction and human smuggling, specifically the smuggling of children.

Calling it deportation means accepting the idea that the children of immigrants aren’t citizens and reinforces that Trump’s xenophobic and racist framing. Let’s not do that.

Leave a comment

Website Powered by WordPress.com.

Up ↑