Page 2 - aruba-today-20220510

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 10 May 2022
Continued from Front the U.S.-Mexico border to
In their most extreme mani- pose for photos alongside
festation, those increas- former President Donald
ingly public views in the Trump's border wall.
U.S. and Europe tap into a Vulnerable Democratic
decades-old conspiracy senators up for election
theory known as the "great this year in Arizona, Geor-
replacement," a false claim gia, New Hampshire and
that native-born popula- Nevada have joined many
tions are being overrun by Republicans in calling on
nonwhite immigrants who the Biden administration
are eroding, and eventu- to wait on lifting the coro-
ally will erase, their culture navirus-era public health
and values. The once- rule known as Title 42 that
taboo term became the denies migrants a chance
mantra of one losing con- to seek asylum. They fear
servative candidate in the it could draw more immi-
recent French presidential grants to the border than
election. officials can handle.
"I very much believe that U.S. authorities stopped mi-
the Democrats — from Joe grants more than 221,000
Biden and Nancy Pelosi, all times at the Mexican bor-
the way down — want to der in March, a 22-year
get the illegal immigrants in high, creating a fraught
here and give them voting political landscape for
rights immediately," said Democrats as the Biden
Sally Gansz, 80. Actually, administration prepares to
only U.S. citizens can vote lift Title 42 authority May
in state and federal elec- 23. The pandemic powers
tions, and attaining citizen- have been used to expel
ship typically takes years. migrants more than 1.8
A white Republican, Gansz Pictured in promotional posters outside Fox News studios at News Corporation headquarters in million times since it was
has lived her whole life in New York on Saturday, July 31, 2021, are hosts Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, invoked in March 2020 on
Trinidad, Colorado, where Maria Bartiromo, Stuart Varney, Neil Cavuto and Charles Payne. the grounds of preventing
about half of the popula- Associated Press the spread of COVID-19.
tion of 8,300 identifies as Newly arrived immigrants
Hispanic, most with roots gally as children. But the defined as those most likely Texas, said he found those are barred from voting in
going back centuries to the deep anxieties expressed to agree with a series of most extreme versions of federal elections because
region's Spanish settlers. by some Americans help statements, like much of the immigration conspira- they aren't citizens, and
"Isn't it obvious that I watch explain how the issue ener- people's lives is "being con- cies "a bit far-fetched" but gaining citizenship is an
Fox?" quipped Gansz, who gizes those opposed to im- trolled by plots hatched does believe immigration arduous process that can
said she watches the con- migration. in secret places" and "big could lessen the influence take a decade or more — if
servative channel almost "I don't feel like immigration events like wars, reces- of U.S.-born Americans. they are successful. In most
daily, including the top-rat- really affects me or that it sions, and the outcomes "I feel like if we are flooded cases, they must first obtain
ed Fox News Channel pro- undermines American val- of elections are controlled with immigrants coming il- permanent residency, then
gram "Tucker Carlson To- ues," said Daniel Valdes, by small groups of people legally, it can dilute our cul- wait five more years before
night," a major proponent 43, a registered Democrat who are working in secret ture," Hoxeng said. they can apply for citizen-
of those ideas. who works in finance for an against the rest of us." Teresa Covarrubias, 62, ship. Investigations have
"Demographic change is aeronautical firm on Flori- In all, 17% in the poll be- rejects the idea that im- failed to turn up evidence
the key to the Democratic da's Space Coast. "I'm pret- lieve both that native-born migrants are undermining of widespread voting by
Party's political ambitions," ty indifferent about it all." Americans are losing influ- the values or culture of people who aren't eligible,
Carlson said on the show Valdes' maternal grand- ence because of the grow- U.S.-born Americans or that including by non-citizens.
last year. "In order to win parents came to the U.S. ing population of immi- they are being brought in For example, a Georgia
and maintain power, Dem- from Mexico, and he said grants and that a group of to shore up the Democratic audit of its voter rolls com-
ocrats plan to change the he has "tons" of relatives in people in the country is try- voter base. She is registered pleted this year found few-
population of the country." the border city of El Paso, ing to replace native-born to vote but is not aligned er than 2,000 instances of
Those views aren't held by Texas. He has Puerto Rican Americans with immigrants with any party. non-citizens attempting to
a majority of Americans — roots on his father's side. who agree with their politi- "Most of the immigrants I register and vote over the
in fact, two-thirds feel the While Republicans worry cal views. That number rises have seen have a good last 25 years, none of which
country's diverse popula- more than Democrats to 42% among the quarter work ethic, they pay taxes succeeded.
tion makes the U.S. stron- about immigration, the of Americans most likely to and have a strong sense of Blake Masters, a candi-
ger, and far more favor most intense anxiety was embrace other conspiracy family," said Covarrubias, date for Senate in Arizona,
than oppose a path to le- among people with the theories. a second grade teacher is among the Republicans
gal status for immigrants greatest tendency for con- Alex Hoxeng, 37, a white in Los Angeles whose four running for office this year
brought into the U.S. ille- spiratorial thinking. That's Republican from Midland, grandparents came to who have played into anxi-
the U.S. from Mexico. "They eties about a changing
LIKE US ON help our country." population.
Republican leaders, includ-
"What the left really wants
ing border governors Doug to do is change the demo-
Ducey of Arizona and Greg graphics of this country," he
Abbott of Texas — who is said in a video recorded
running for reelection this in October. "They want to
year — have increasingly do that so they can con-
decried what they call an solidate power so they
Facebook.com/arubatoday/ "invasion," with conserva- can never lose another

tive politicians traveling to election."q