This is How We Make American Great, Donald!

This Is How We Make America Great, Donald, 2019

Until Donald Trump's campaign linking illegal immigration to a rise in crime, few ever heard of the term "sanctuary city." Like so many other words, partisanship has weaponized the phrase. In reality, studies show the immigrant crime rate is not any greater than crimes committed by citizens.

In November 2018, May Davis, the deputy White House policy coordinator, floated a proposal to ship undocumented immigrants to sanctuary cities as a way of alleviating the overcrowding occurring on our border with Mexico. ICE rejected that proposal as an unnecessary burden on the agency, with an expenditure that would be hard to justify.

Yet, Trump resurrected the plan with a series of tweets in April 2019. He implied he would love to punish liberal opposition to his immigration policies by dumping the "problem" on them. While the White House never seriously considered the plan, the president's remarks conveyed his ongoing need for revenge against those who disagree with him.

Human migration is a global issue. As long as war, violence, and persecution forces people to flee their homes, immigration and asylum seekers will find their way to our country. And, if our national policy is to separate families and condemn them to cages, sanctuary cities will continue to oppose this action and welcome them.

—
The posters in this series reflect the conflicts the American political system has been experiencing during the turbulent period between 2010-2020. They are meant to encourage an exploration and a dialogue about the cultural minefield we now find ourselves in.