Xenophobia: A Sickness that Plagues Americans

Photo via Tennessee Lookout

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In recent years, many claim xenophobia is on the rise. But what is xenophobia? And what is its role in American history? Xenophobia comes from the Greek word “xeno,” which means “other,” and phobia defined as “fear.” The combination of these two words directly defines xenophobia in this context: the fear of others, or foreigners. Since the beginning of the country’s history, xenophobia has been present, and it takes a unique form in the United States. The U.S. is known as the “nation of immigrants,” a term coined by President John F. Kennedy. Yet a unique duplicity occurs in this country. A duplicity present in many parts of Americans lives. Politically, immigration is defined as a “hot button issue,” one that completely divides Americans. Socially, immigrants have been and are still looked at differently. Economically, nativists claim that immigrants are “stealing American jobs.” Nativism is the belief that the well-being and interests of people born in the United States are more important than the interests of immigrants. 

The first group of settlers that came to the modern-day United States was in 1607, with the first American colony in Jamestown, Virginia. Even before the United States was founded, the fear of “others” began. Many colonists expressed extreme concern that non-Protestant Europeans would come to America, specifically the Germans. Inventor and founding father Benjamin Franklin expressed his extreme distaste for Germans as well as his concern about them coming to the colonies.

One of the earliest forms of xenophobia seen in the United States is against Catholics. From 1840 to 1924 more than 30 million immigrants from Europe arrived in the United States. A sizable number were Catholic, with European Catholics from Italy, Ireland, and Poland arriving en masse. Violence and discrimination were unfortunately not uncommon against Catholics, and in 1834 a Catholic convent was set ablaze in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Signs in stores stating they would not hire Catholics were not a rare event. Catholics were so despised in America and in American politics that a whole anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant party was formed, called the Know Nothing Party.

Arguably the most famous example of American xenophobia was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, signed into law on May 6, 1882. Its primary purpose was to ban Chinese laborers from coming to the United States. After it expired, the Geary Act was signed to extend the Chinese Exclusion Act for another ten years. It was then made permanent in 1902. After World War 1, with the influx of new immigrants, the government created quotas and requirements. The Immigration Act of 1924 used the census to determine how many immigrants would be allowed into the country. The Chinese Exclusion Act was only repealed in 1943 after World War 2. 

In recent years, we have seen extreme and blatant xenophobia against Latino immigrants, with Donald Trump using racist rhetoric throughout his campaigns and presidency. He claims that they are criminals. He wanted a “big, beautiful wall” to “protect” the U.S. from Latino— specifically Mexican—immigrants. Now, Trump has Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) target what they believe to be illegal immigrants. Yet, ICE has arrested and deported American citizens. ICE targets and goes after predominantly Latino areas resulting from the Supreme Court decision Noem v. Perdomo (2025), which allows ICE to use racial profiling. Yet, conveniently, the Supreme Court expressed that racial profiling is unconstitutional in the Students for Fair Admission v. Harvard (2023) decision. 

Immigrants have never been and never will be a problem that needs to be “fixed.” They are not something to be scared of. The beauty of the United States is its diversity; no one of us is the same, and that is what has allowed the United States to be the center of the world scientifically, economically, and culturally. Immigrants are the most beautiful thing about our country, and when we as a country come together and realize we all deserve to be treated with respect and kindness, we can finally move forward. Though it is devastating and disheartening that xenophobia is still so prevalent and public, there is hope that one day this will become a cautionary tale in a history book. Community resources exist for those seeking immigration assistance.

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This article was edited by Peter Leyba and Ryan Scriven.