Reflection of the U.S. migration discourse through the concept of "America First" in leading American media

The article is dedicated to analyzing the migration discourse in the United States within the framework of the "America First" political doctrine as presented in leading American media. The subject of this research is the American migration discourse, which is actively developed in the media against the backdrop of the activities of the Republican government in 2025. The focus is on the representation of migrants and the new policy in the online versions of leading news outlets. The author examines aspects such as the influence of political actors on the expansion of the discourse regarding migration in the media, the role of liberal media in shaping perceptions of refugees, and the assessment of Donald Trump's anti-immigration rhetoric by news publications. The study investigates the main frames that serve as tools for forming unified narratives about the migration crisis at the southern border, as reflected in news and analytical materials from January to September 2025. Based on qualitative content analysis of publications from The New York Times, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, CNN, NBC, CBS, FOX News, and other outlets during this period, the key media narratives related to the coverage of the migration crisis are examined. The research identifies key frames ("migrant-threat," "migrant-victim," "repression," "invasion"), delineates differences between liberal and conservative media, and demonstrates the role of President Donald Trump's political rhetoric in shaping and polarizing the information agenda. Particular attention is paid to the mechanisms of dehumanization of migrants and the connection of migration discourse with broader narratives about the state of American democracy. The study's results show that media represent the migration policy of the new government predominantly through the lens of threat, humanitarian crisis, and political polarization, which exacerbates public perception conflict and contributes to the rise of radical sentiments. The media's reaction to the complex of decrees criminalizing migration demonstrates an evolution of the image of the United States as a "nation of immigrants." The further development of the investigated media discourse may directly affect the perception of Latin American migration in the broader public consciousness.

migration discourse, Donald Trump, America First, US media, media narratives, political polarization, dehumanization of migrants, immigration policy, frame, Latin Americans