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\nJohn Schmitz - The Alien Enemies Act\n

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\n\nPublisher:\n\nBrainwaves Video Anthology\n\n\n
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\nJohn Schmitz, a history professor at Northern Virginia Community College, discusses the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, one of four controversial laws passed during President John Adams' administration amid fears of foreigners. The Act...\nJohn Schmitz, a history professor at Northern Virginia Community College, discusses the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, one of four controversial laws passed during President John Adams' administration amid fears of foreigners. The Act allowed the U.S. president to apprehend, detain, and deport non-citizens from countries the U.S. was at war with—even if those individuals had committed no crimes. Schmitz explains that if immigrants hadn’t yet become naturalized (which at the time required a 14-year wait), they were considered “enemy aliens” simply due to their nationality. He connects this history to his own family, who were interned during World War II under this same legal authority after the U.S. went to war with Germany. He warns that such laws can resurface and be misused, as they are based on fear, dehumanization, and xenophobia. Schmitz notes that some current policies in 2025 echo these historical precedents, potentially targeting both citizens and non-citizens alike.\n
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Resource Details

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Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
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Media Length
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3:19
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Grade
Higher Ed
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Subjects
Social Studies & History
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Media Type
Instructional Videos
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Source:
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\nBrainwaves Video Anthology\n\n
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Date
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2025
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Language
English
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Audiences
For Teacher Use
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Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use
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Concepts

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education, schools, aliens
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school leadership, teaching, learning, brainwaves, bob greenberg, enemy alien, united states, human beings, alien, waiting, today, part, acts, back, fear, foreigners, outsiders, country, naturalized
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Classroom Considerations

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Video is ad-free
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