On this episode of *Hard Knock Radio*, Davey D discusses the escalating immigration policies targeting naturalized U.S. citizens with immigration rights advocate Layidua Salazar and Eddy Zheng of the New Breath Foundation. Both guests delve into their personal experiences and the dangers posed by these proposals, which could lead to mass deportations and denaturalizations.
Eddy Zheng, reflecting on his own immigration challenges, described the rhetoric around denaturalization as “dehumanizing,” pointing out that it “perpetuates intergenerational trauma through systemic racism and white supremacy.” He expressed concern over how anti-immigrant policies could erode family structures: “They want to uproot the people who built this country. It’s a return to the same forces that devastated Native American and African American communities.” Zheng also emphasized the importance of racial solidarity to counter these divisive policies, urging communities to support independent media that “tells the truth and fact-checks” against harmful narratives.
Layidua Salazar, who has faced her own battle with deportation fears under DACA, shared her emotional response, describing her situation as “a constant state of panic.” She highlighted the fragility of DACA protections, saying, “I have to renew every two years, not knowing if DACA will even exist by the next renewal.” Salazar also critiqued the selective compassion shown toward certain refugees, pointing out, “The U.S. is in violation of international law when it turns away refugees it had a hand in displacing through foreign policy and arms trafficking.”
Expanding on the themes of selective compassion, Salazar emphasized the hypocrisy in U.S. immigration policies that readily embrace some refugees while penalizing others. Comparing the reception of Ukrainian refugees to that of Latin American migrants fleeing violence and political unrest, she noted, “It’s about who is deemed worthy of empathy and support. Refugees from Central America are fleeing conditions often exacerbated by U.S. foreign policy, yet they’re branded as threats.” Salazar cited international law, stating that migrants are within their rights to seek refuge once they reach a port of entry, a right the U.S. continues to violate by detaining or deporting them. This, she argued, only exacerbates trauma for those forced to escape dire conditions abroad.
Zheng, who has spent decades advocating for incarcerated Asian Americans and other immigrants, highlighted the dangerous precedent being set by policies targeting political activism. In the current landscape, he warned, dissent and social justice work are increasingly criminalized, putting activists at risk for denaturalization and deportation under charges of being “unappreciative” or “anti-American.” He explained, “Our work at the New Breath Foundation focuses on building bridges and collective healing among diverse communities, yet these policies undermine that solidarity by painting advocates as threats. When the government can leverage immigration status as a tool to silence, it’s not just immigrants who are endangered, but the right to protest itself.” Together, Zheng and Salazar urged listeners to vote conscientiously, support independent media, and stand against the normalization of policies that threaten foundational rights and freedoms.
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