The KKK, Immigration Law and Policy, and Donald Trump

Many Americans know the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) for its horrific acts of violence directed at African Americans. Although generally overshadowed by that violence, the KKK’s vilification of other groups, including immigrants and religious minorities, long has been central to its quest for white Anglo-Saxon supremacy. This Essay analyzes the enduring legacy of the KKK’s immigration philosophy on contemporary American immigration law and politics. Some modern anti- immigrant advocates champion remarkably similar policies to the Klan’s with racial animus on full display.

Former President, and the 2024 Republican nominee for President, Donald Trump is an example.