The People Are Resisting While the Elites Are Surrendering

The Ivy League is quietly supporting Trump’s crackdown on international students.

Jaime Cook, the head of Sackets Harbor Central School, took a stand—and ICE withdrew. As Donald Trump transforms America into an autocracy, a noticeable class division is emerging. While a resistance movement against Trump is forming among ordinary people, those with wealth and power are the first to give in to the aspiring dictator. Political scientist Jodi Dean highlighted in a recent piece in The Nation how civil society institutions are collapsing, with elites like Columbia University, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer submitting to Trump’s demands.

In contrast, ordinary citizens are showing a willingness to resist. Lawmakers, especially Republicans, are afraid to face angry constituents questioning their support for Trump. Demonstrations demanding “hands-off” government programs have swept through American cities. The difference in attitude between ordinary Americans and the elite is evident in the education sector, where schools like Sackets Harbor Central School oppose ICE actions while prestigious institutions like Harvard remain silent.

The detention of Harvard researcher Kseniia Petrova by immigration authorities for minor paperwork issues is just one example of the challenges faced by international students in the US under Trump’s policies. The Trump administration’s crackdown on international students threatens American higher education, as scholars may look elsewhere for opportunities. The silence of top universities on these issues is alarming and raises questions about the elite’s commitment to defending democratic principles.

After Trump’s defeat, there will be a need to address the failure of the American elite to uphold liberal democracy norms. If they cannot defend these values, they should not be allowed to lead.