The Immigrant as Enemy- A Manufactured Crisis

This paper explores the global resurgence of anti-immigration sentiment as a politically constructed response to economic insecurity and institutional failure. Through a comparative analysis of Germany, the United States, South Africa, and Kenya, it examines how immigrants are framed as scapegoats in moments of national crisis. Drawing on theories of political symbolism, populist mobilization, and economic displacement, the paper argues that immigrant scapegoating serves as a diversionary tactic to obscure structural decline. It also reflects on how elite rhetoric translates into real-world harm, deepening social divisions and fueling exclusionary violence. The paper advocates for a shift from reactive border politics to a discourse grounded in economic justice, institutional accountability, and inclusive belonging.