John Oliver Calls for Action Against Trump's "Mass Deportation" Plans
John Oliver's "Last Week Tonight" tackled a weighty topic this week: the stark reality of Donald Trump's potential second term and the devastating consequences for immigrants.
While the unexpected news of President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 election caught everyone by surprise, including Oliver himself, the comedian didn't let the political shakeup overshadow the urgent message he wanted to deliver.
Oliver, in his first show since June 16th, highlighted the stark contrast between the Democratic and Republican approaches to immigration, focusing on the Republican National Convention (RNC) and its disturbing focus on mass deportation.
He delved into the terrifying details of "Project 2025," a plan laid out by Trump and his allies to aggressively crack down on immigration, emphasizing that the RNC doubled down on this agenda. "Trump and the bigots around him plan to use his victory to make immigrantsâ lives absolute hell, and he is not exactly hiding that," Oliver stated, showing footage of Trump openly advocating for mass deportation and RNC delegates brandishing "Mass Deportation Now" signs.
Oliver dissected Fox News' fearmongering tactics around immigrant crime, exposing their blatant exaggeration and misleading narratives. He then turned his attention directly to the viewers, urging them to take action before the November election.
"Just assume that the underlying 'What Can We Do' for most of our U.S. stories from now until then is going to be 'Do not vote for Donald Trump,'" he urged. "Again, that seems like it should be barely worth saying. Like drink water. Or go to the dentist. But it does bear repeating because, be honest, when was the last time you drank water or indeed, went to the dentist?"
He acknowledged that Biden's approach to immigration wasn't perfect, but emphasized that any Democrat, regardless of who ultimately runs, would be a far better choice than Trump. "Thereâs just too much on the line here to give up like that," he declared, urging viewers to fight against the Trump administration's agenda.
"It doesnât matter if Trump and his party say they have a new tone, or nominally call for unity, or throw a cute dog onstage for some reason," he said. "They have told us who they are. Theyâve told us what they want. They literally put it on a sign and waved it in everyoneâs face.â
"Theyâre trying to win this election by pointing a finger at immigrants and the only appropriate response is to take a cue from the so-called symbol of the Biden presidency and say 'Fuck That Shit.'"
Oliver's impassioned plea serves as a potent reminder of the high stakes of the upcoming election, urging viewers to actively combat the dangerous rhetoric and policies being championed by Trump and his party.
