Reports of diseased immigrant children mirror Nazi propaganda

This Nazi propaganda poster from 1941
tells Polish residents that Jews are
carriers of Typhus

This column was originally posted on CafeConLecheRepublicans.com. Bob Quasius also contributed to the piece.

The surge of refugee immigrant children to America’s southern border has ignited a vehement anti-immigrant tone in reporting by many independent news organizations and bloggers. In an effort to create justification for the deportation of these children without granting refugee status, many of these reporters are echoing propaganda tactics eerily reminiscent of the Nazi campaign against European Jews during World War II. 

The techniques used by today’s reporters and bloggers include not-so-subtle characterizations of the children, including the repeated use of the term “illegal alien” over “refugee” or “undocumented immigrant,” which is the far more correct legal designation. The loaded term “illegal alien,” and the often-unfounded implications it carries, is the reason why respected news organizations like Associated Press no longer use the term in general.

A far more insidious technique employed by writers in anti-immigrant press, however, takes a page out of the Nazi propaganda handbook. It involves using legitimate examples of sick immigrant children with various ailments, some serious, and depicting it as far more widespread and dangerous than it actually is.

Bigots pose a threat to the conservative cause

The recent influx of refugee children from Central American countries has not only exposed the flaws in our broken immigration system, it seems to have emboldened racial bigots who try to align themselves with the conservative cause. Despite their harsh and hateful rhetoric, they rarely go unchallenged by many on the right, creating the perception that this sort of racism is inherent within conservatism.

A Twitter user who calls himself "Lord Wabbit" and boasts over 1,800 followers recently tweeted a cartoon he created, criticizing the move to help the child refugees. The cartoon (shown here) includes dolls dressed in traditional Mexican attire (including serapes and sombreros), as well as a couple of chihuahuas, all demanding citizenship for their family, including "my uncle the drug dealer" and "my 37 cousins." The picture was retweeted by a number of people times, including "Marble," a popular conservative with 18,500 followers.