Lecture Notes: The Trump Administration and the Office of Remigration

Overview

• Topic: Creation of an Office of Remigration by the Trump administration as part of a reorganization of the State Department.
• Policy: Remigration, an extremist policy advocating the removal of all migrants, including non-assimilated citizens, to create white ethnostates.
• Notification: Details of the plan are in a 136-page document sent to Congressional committees for approval by July 1.

Purpose of the Office of Remigration

• Function: Acts as a hub within the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration for immigration and repatriation tracking.
• Coordination: Facilitates interagency coordination with DHS on removals and repatriations.
• Voluntary Returns: Encourages voluntary return of migrants to their country of origin.

Changes to the State Department

• Reorganization: Involves more than 300 bureaus and offices.
• Elimination: Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Bureau to be largely eliminated.
• New Position: Addition of a deputy assistant secretary for overseeing Democracy and Western Values.

Response and Criticism

• Public Reception: Mixed reactions, with criticism from figures like Wendy Via labeling it as an attempt at ethnic cleansing.
• Administration Support: Abigail Jackson, White House spokesperson, claims public support for Trump’s immigration agenda.

Historical and Global Context

• European Influence: Remigration is gaining traction in Europe among far-right groups.
• Remigration Summit: First summit held in Milan with far-right European lawmakers attending.

Connections to Extremism

• Martin Sellner: Austrian activist promoting remigration globally, claims Trump’s policies align with remigration.
• Sellner’s Plan: Three-phase plan for remigration involving border security, mass repatriations, and cultural pressure.

Controversial Support

• American Figures: Some American figures and groups, like the New York Young Republican Club, show support for remigration.
• European Influence: European far-right sees Trump and the US as proof that remigration is viable.
• Security Concerns: Concerns about increased collaboration between American and European far-right groups.

Key Takeaways

• Policy Implications: Potential shift in US and global immigration policies towards more extreme measures.
• Far-Right Movement: Remigration is becoming a key policy among far-right groups across the Atlantic.

Note

• Update: Article updated on 6/3/2025 to clarify leadership of the White Papers Policy Institute.