Top Trump official Stephen Miller’s recent declaration that anyone who “preaches hate for America” will face deportation has ignited alarm online, with critics warning the statement disregards First Amendment protections.

Social media users and legal analysts raised immediate concerns, pointing out that expressing dissent or criticism of the government is protected under the First Amendment. Some worried the administration was veering into authoritarian territory.

The backlash has reignited broader debates over the limits of free speech, especially as civil liberties fall under scrutiny. While immigration enforcement remains a core theme of President Donald Trump’s platform, critics are increasingly questioning whether rhetoric like Miller’s is a precursor to more aggressive suppression of dissent.

  • underwater@sh.itjust.works
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    5 days ago

    I don’t know. Before Trump, the conservative platform was actually conservative - though of course there were extremist fringes. But Trump sparked a sudden transition to extreme nationalist populism, which validated and legitimized those fringes, making them mainstream. Now, that ideology is the de facto face of conservatism. It’s depressing. I’ve considered myself a conservative Democrat since the 2015-2016 election cycle.

    • Impleader@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      You’re not wrong about “conservatism” undergoing a rapid metamorphosis in the past decade, but it was only possible in the first place because republicans put party before principle, and they’ve been doing that for a long time.

      In the Bush era, how many times did the “party of small government” tell you it needed to restrict abortion, regulate marriage rights, wage a war on drugs, and expand the surveillance state? There was no rhyme or reason to any of it other than culture wars and security theater, and it certainly wasn’t part of some coherent conservative ideology.

    • Madison420@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      sudden transition to extreme nationalist populism,

      White nationalists terrorists down to like McVey were all conservatives for reason and it isn’t love and inclusion.

    • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      5 days ago

      I don’t know. Before Trump, the conservative platform was actually conservative

      No it wasn’t. Not since at least Eisenhower.

    • Ledericas@lemm.ee
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      4 days ago

      its because OBAMA broke thier minds, they couldnt handle a half-black, muslim was the POTUS.