The Crisis Within: A Nation on the Brink

As our democracy and economy weaken with every executive order, tariff, and unlawful deportation, the country finds itself in a constitutional crisis, teetering on the edge of recession. President Trump has appointed and authorized an incompetent party to dismantle the government, undermine foreign affairs, and destabilize the economy. His adherents—including Elon Musk, and officials in the White House, Capitol Hill, the Department of Justice, and the Pentagon—are responsible for the irremediable turmoil affecting all branches of government.

Lydia Alston-Murphy

Massive terminations, the cessation of medical research, and discontinued funding to food programs have stripped essential departments of their functionality. These cuts include the immobilization of USAID—the department responsible for disaster relief, pandemic response, and disease management.

The destruction extends globally with the imposition of unsustainable tariffs, including those on countries inhabited only by penguins. China has responded with counter-tariffs on U.S. goods. Although the White House recently claimed China is “working on a deal,” there is no evidence to support the existence of negotiations. The brief reassurance to the stock market was short-lived.

The President’s self-serving and ill-informed tariff policies have ostracized the United States, severely damaging relationships with our most dependable allies. These nations, along with others around the world, are actively exploring ways to circumvent Trump’s trade mandates—forming new partnerships with each other and even with America’s adversaries.

Donald Trump’s haphazard actions reflect his lack of understanding of trade policy. His obsession with dominance has turned diplomacy into a game-show spectacle, requiring other nations to “kiss the ring” and seek deals from his trade team. The result: looming trade wars, inflation, and a volatile stock market.

Making matters worse, this presidency reveals an alarming ignorance of immigration and foreign policy. Under the revived and reinterpreted “Alien Enemies Act” of 1798, ICE has conducted deportations without due process, sending individuals—including patients, activists, and citizens-in-waiting—to maximum-security prisons in El Salvador. The Act, which allows the president to detain non-citizens during times of war or invasion, has been deceptively revived to fulfill campaign promises, rather than respond to actual threats.

People are being abducted from their workplaces, schools, churches, and citizenship appointments—many never to return. One man requiring ongoing medical care was deported. Another, a political activist, was arrested by ICE at his citizenship appointment and remains detained. In a case the Supreme Court unanimously ruled on, the White House was ordered to return a deportee from Baltimore, “mistakenly” sent to El Salvador. The administration defied this ruling, with no cooperation from the Salvadoran president.

Even more disturbing, three planes of deportees were sent to El Salvador’s prison system—none of the passengers received due process. While the third plane was still in the air, the White House was told to halt its unlawful deportations. It didn’t. The plane landed, and those individuals remain unaccounted for.

This blatant insubordination led a U.S. District Court judge to consider contempt charges against the Trump Administration. There is no known evidence that the deportees were terrorists, gang members, or affiliated with any criminal activity.

The fear of abduction now extends to migrant farm workers—essential contributors to the nation’s food supply. In trying to avoid deportation, many have abandoned work in the fields. This creates two critical problems: loss of income for farm workers, and disruption to food processing and distribution. Without a plan to address this labor shortage—compounded by discontinued food programs and unnecessary tariffs—food shortages are inevitable.

Trump’s presidency also reflects a disregard for civil liberties and legal norms. The Judicial Branch, along with advocacy groups like the ACLU, are fighting to protect personal data and to block cuts to government programs, funding, and fundamental rights. Across the country—even in deep-red states—people are expressing their disillusionment. Many, regardless of how they voted, realize this presidency is not what they expected. Massive protests and contentious town halls highlight the growing unrest.

During a recent visit from the President of El Salvador, Trump asked for more prisons to be built for American “home-grown” criminals—a term he defined vaguely as those convicted of “certain crimes.” There has been no clarification on what qualifies as a “certain crime,” raising questions about whether his vision targets American citizens, visa holders, or other vulnerable groups.

Embedded in Trump’s policies is the covert removal of alleged “criminals” and “terrorists” without due process—an approach that blatantly violates the Fifth Amendment, which states no one shall “be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.” The crisis deepens as the Administration continues to double down, ignore the Constitution, and refuse court orders to return deportees. Trump’s excuse: “We can’t give everyone a trial,” while simultaneously worsening the immigration backlog by firing judges and halting migrant processing.

All of this has occurred in just the first hundred days of this presidency. A timid economy lacks direction. Government agencies and programs are stripped of their purpose. People are kidnapped and sent abroad. A potential food crisis looms. One common thread runs through these crises—the needs of the people are not being considered.

The campaign promise to reduce the cost of living on day one never materialized. Instead, a darker reality has emerged. Something more sinister appears to be unfolding under this administration. Pay attention. Follow the corruption. If this White House can defy the Constitution and court orders on one monumental issue, it will do so again. There-in lies the true crisis.

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Lydia Alston-Murphy, is a political editorial writer for Minority Reporter. Her articles focus on politics in all levels of government as well as every day issues. Email: alstonmurphy@gmail.com