A video by Pakistani-American writer Wajahat Ali has gone viral for its provocative commentary on immigration, in which he declares that “brown people have taken over America.” The clip gained traction amid a renewed debate over immigration following a proposal by former President Donald Trump to halt entry from certain nations.
Ali’s commentary, directed at what he calls “hate-mongers,” argues that the U.S. has “lost the battle” against immigration. “The problem is you let us in in 1965,” he states. “You know what happens with brown folk? Our grandmother comes, our grandfather comes, our uncle comes, our aunt comes. Then our first cousin comes, second cousin comes. And then we have a bunch of kids.”
He points to the widespread presence of South Asian communities as evidence of this “invasion.” “We are everywhere,” Ali says. “There will be a Patel motel or a desi restaurant everywhere. I want you to realize this. You have lost.” The video also included inflammatory remarks about American culture, with Ali adding, “Your story is a shty story filled with misery, your music sks, that’s why your kids listen to black music.”
The video’s circulation coincided with Trump’s pledge on Truth Social to halt all immigration from what he termed “third-world countries” if elected. The statement followed an incident where an Afghan national was named a suspect in the shooting of National Guard members.
Trump’s proposal drew a sharp rebuke from Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, who criticized the use of the “outdated” Cold War-era term. “Trump’s threat to ban migration… is returning to a pre-1965 America where immigration from nations like India was severely restricted,” Khanna stated. “My parents would not have been welcome.”
Khanna also condemned Trump’s related threat to revoke the citizenship of those he deems “non-compatible,” calling it “callous & frightening” for the millions of immigrant families who have worked to become citizens. “This is not the time for politicians to cave,” he said. “I am sick of politicians demonizing immigrants.”
