Trump’s outrageous remark shows his affinity for the worst of America’s past (Opinion)

Editor’s Note: Frida Ghitis, a former CNN producer and correspondent, is a world affairs columnist. During a meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump complained, “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” The Washington Post first reported on Trump’s comment and CNN has confirmed it. After his remark Thursday, the White House issued a statement that said, “Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries,” – as if allowing people to come to a country built by immigrants amounts to disloyalty – adding, “but President Trump will always fight for the American people,” and claiming that the current programs, “allow terrorists into our country.” Trump doesn’t want immigrants from “shithole countries,” to come to America. Judging by Trump’s suggestion that a Scandinavian immigrant is more desirable than one from lower latitudes, it seems Trump’s immigration vision, beyond his border wall, or whatever is left of that plan, is something resembling the old immigration system, from back in the ’50s and earlier, from the days of “Leave it to Beaver” and “Father Knows Best.” Before 1965, when Americans woke up to the transparent racism of the law, immigration was governed by the Immigration Act of 1924, which tacitly ranked potential immigrants by the color of their skin, giving preference to Northern Europeans over Mediterranean Europeans; giving Mediterranean and Alpine Europeans preference over Jews and Asians, and so forth. Earlier this week, the Trump administration announced its decision to end temporary protected status for people from El Salvador, apparently another country in Trump’s shithole category.