America is based on the ideas of individual liberty and equality. For almost 250 years, America has been a city upon a hill and a beacon of liberty and freedom for the world to gaze up at, yet this legacy of progress is under attack by President Donald Trump. Trump has repeatedly attacked the natural rights of man, undermining the very fabric that makes this country unique. He has done this by reinstating laws that destroy the ideals that built this country, circumventing the checks and balances of the government and eroding the public trust in the institutions of this country.

The American tradition has been one of fair prosecution under the law, ensuring that law enforcement does their due diligence when prosecuting a person. Simply put, this is not the case with Donald Trump and his Department of Justice. Immigration Control Enforcement, and Customs and Border Patrol, the two agencies primarily responsible for immigration regulation, have been encouraged by the current administration to use the powers under the 1798 Aliens and Enemies Act. This act allows the President, and those working in the executive branch, to deport any immigrant that they deem to be a threat. The Trump administration has touted these efforts as ones to remove violent gang members from America, and while we can all agree that getting rid of gangs is essential, we need to do it the right way. The argument that it’s just gang members who are not getting a trial, however, undermines the core idea of freedom and liberty. If my neighbor doesn’t get a free and fair trial, what is stopping the government from taking away my free and fair trial?

“The American Experiment,” as many have dubbed it, revolves around the concept of checks and balances, designed to ensure the will of the majority and the rights of the minority. This idea ensures that a populist movement doesn’t sweep away the rights of a minority. The main way Trump has trampled over this idea is by controlling the Supreme Court which, in recent decisions, has appeared not to vote on a legal basis but instead solely on political opinions. Now this is not too unusual, but what is unusual is the type of cases passing in front of the court. More and more, the court has been issuing rulings that directly conflict with legal theory, such as overruling a circuit court’s order that ICE must return an illegally deported immigrant. It tramples on the individual’s rights. The lack of an independent court system and the precedent this sets inherently endangers the rights we Americans so dearly enjoy. Donald Trump has failed his duty to his constituents and, more importantly, future Americans by eroding the checks and balances that have kept the American Republic safe from despots.

Finally, Donald Trump’s actions have destroyed the faith many Americans have in their government. Many people I know personally have claimed they fear for their safety and security. There is a debate to be had whether it’s a valid fear; however, it’s hard to argue with it when government officials have driven around in unmarked cars picking up college students and doctors when they write something the government doesn’t like. There is an argument to be had on whether or not college students should be writing about the Israel-Hamas war or protesting on campus grounds. I argue that everyone deserves to be heard. The usage of unmarked cars and plainclothes officers is used to spread fear further and prevent dissent from the party line. Whether or not you’re on the right or left, every American has the right, dare I say civic duty, to make their voices heard. Trump’s arrests and subsequent deportations of ordinary people and students shake the confidence Americans have in their basic rights, which is a fundamental failure of the government, and more directly, the president.

These issues should be important to you, even if you are not directly affected by them. One of the core tenets of individual liberty is that when one person’s rights are taken or reduced, it functionally reduces the whole society’s rights by a degree. America has not always upheld its  obligation to Americans, but it is the duty of the people to hold the government accountable for its actions and stand up for one another.