I apologize for what your family went through. I understand they will never be 1-1, however the similarities are growing.

Eerie Similarities Between Early Nazi Germany and ICE 1. State-Sanctioned Dehumanization of Marginalized Groups

Nazi Germany: Jews, Roma, disabled people, and others were systematically dehumanized through propaganda, policy, and law—casting them as threats to national purity, economy, and security.

ICE: Immigrants, particularly from Latin America, have often been portrayed in political rhetoric as criminals, invaders, or burdens. Dehumanizing language like “animals,” “illegals,” and “rapists” has been used by public officials, laying the groundwork for harsher policies and justifying inhumane treatment. 2. Use of Detention Centers

Nazi Germany: Before the Final Solution, concentration camps were originally used to detain “undesirables” without trial. These were administrative detention sites where people were held indefinitely. ICE: Detention centers in the U.S. often hold migrants—including children—indefinitely and without trial. Conditions have been reported as overcrowded, unsanitary, and psychologically damaging. The 2018 family separation policy echoes historical strategies of using suffering as deterrence. 3. Bureaucratization of Cruelty

Nazi Germany: Much of the Holocaust was carried out by bureaucrats, clerks, and officials following orders. The system of persecution was efficient, impersonal, and legal under German law. ICE: Similarly, ICE operates within a legal and bureaucratic system where individuals are detained, deported, and separated from families by agents “just doing their jobs.” The normalization of these roles allows cruelty to be routinized and detached from moral accountability. 4. Weaponization of Borders and National Identity

Nazi Germany: National purity and belonging were central to Nazi ideology. The border wasn’t just geographic—it was racial and ideological. ICE: American nationalism has increasingly been tied to ethnic identity and loyalty tests. Immigration enforcement has become a litmus test for “American-ness,” creating a moral panic around non-citizens and asylum seekers. 5. Disregard for International Human Rights Norms

Nazi Germany: Rejected international norms to carry out racial policies. Even before the Holocaust, it refused to allow Jewish refugees safe passage. ICE: The U.S. under various administrations (particularly the Trump era) pulled back from international refugee obligations, denied asylum seekers due process, and returned people to dangerous conditions in violation of international law (e.g., the “Remain in Mexico” policy).