There is rationality if you think like an autocrat - the goal is to crush dissent and any avenues of dissent so that people "self-censor" in fear. Combine with

There is rationality if you think like an autocrat - the goal is to crush dissent and any avenues of dissent so that people "self-censor" in fear. Combine with upcoming extra-judicial detentions of citizens (we are already detaining legal immigrants in El Salvador), it's required to create a culture of fear and submission. That it happens to be against a specific group of people is irrelevant - this is the tip of the spear.