The Trump-Vance defamatory and baseless attacks on immigrants are nothing new in U.S. or world history.  Immigrant-bashing is a deeply rooted political strategy of the economically and socially privileged and their parties on the Right to undermine popular pressure for greater economic and social equality.  As many a demagogue or unscrupulous politician has learned, fear or hatred of the "other" can be effective in stirring up a mob or winning an election.