The arrival of Columbus in the New World marked the beginning of a long history of human migration, driven by the universal quest for survival, hope and dignity. Yet, in a grotesque inversion of history, contemporary politics in the United States, particularly under the Trump administration, has perversely transformed immigration into a toxic battleground of fear, exclusion and ideological warfare. By erasing this brutal history, successive governments in the United States have perpetuated a myth of exceptionalism, even as it denies the humanity of those seeking refuge on its shores.

As schoolchildren, many of us were asked to write an essay on the theme, “What if Columbus had not discovered America?” Understandably, the very framing of this question is steeped in colonial ideology that a

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