Trump tells Arizona crowd he will end ‘immigrant invasion’

TEMPE, Ariz. – Former President Donald Trump claimed at his rally in Arizona on Thursday that the United States was being invaded by an “immigrant invasion” and promised to “liberate” the country if he returns to the White House next month.

“We have to get these animals out of here quickly,” Trump said, referring to immigrants who commit violent crimes. “The United States is now an occupied country, but soon it will no longer be an occupied country.”

Trump placed the blame squarely on Vice President Kamala Harris, his Democratic rival for the White House, whom he criticized as a “low IQ individual” who should be “disqualified” from leading the country.

“He has destroyed our sovereign borders and unleashed an army of immigrant gangs waging a campaign of violence and terror against our citizens,” Trump said. “My message today is very simple. The immigrant invasion we are presented with because of Kamala’s gross incompetence disqualifies her from even considering becoming president.”

Trump was in Arizona on Thursday to rally voters ahead of fast-approaching Election Day. It was Trump’s fifth visit this year to the key battleground of the Southwest and took place on Nov. 5, just 12 days before votes were counted.

Trump is narrowly ahead of Harris in Arizona presidential polls, and both campaigns expect the election to be a razor-thin margin.

Trump’s visit comes amid a slew of campaign events, rallies and visits from politicians in Arizona this week. President Joe Biden was scheduled to fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Thursday afternoon.

Trump came under fire this week after the former White House chief of staff claimed Trump said “Hitler did some good things.”

The comments, reported by The New York Times, led Harris to call herself a “fascist.”

Trump focused heavily on immigration in his speech at Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe. He claimed that immigrants were taking jobs from Black and Hispanic workers in Arizona.

“Hispanic and Black people are losing their jobs, and it makes sense for millions of people to flock in,” Trump said. “This started with the Black and Hispanic population. And we’re not going to let that happen. It is.” shameful.”

Trump’s comments come as he wants to appeal to young men, especially young black and Hispanic male voters. Polls show Trump ahead of Harris among Hispanic male voters under 50 in Arizona.

Trump also told several stories of violent immigrant crimes and said Harris was responsible for the “bloodshed.”

Migrant encounters at the southern border reached record levels during the Biden administration, reaching a peak of nearly 250,000 encounters in December 2023. Those numbers dropped sharply over the summer after Biden signed an executive order limiting asylum.

Immigrant apprehensions have decreased by 55% since June, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.

Before arriving in the college town of Tempe on Thursday, Trump’s Arizona campaign trips include a rally at Dream City Church in Phoenix in June, an August tour that includes a Glendale rally and a trip to the southern border, a rally in Tucson in September and a tour of the South It included a trip to the border. most recently a rally in Prescott Valley.

Trump told the crowd that he had been watching his rivals’ media appearances, calling Harris’ CNN town hall “an incoherent train wreck of a television interview.”

He also lashed out at President Joe Biden, who said in New Hampshire this week, “We should lock him up,” referring to Trump. After a brief pause, Biden clarified that he meant to “lock her in politically.” Keep him out.”

“He’s a very stupid man,” Trump said.

Harris’ campaign responded to Trump’s visit by declaring support from a coalition of Arizona Republicans and independents.

“Those who know Donald Trump best are sounding the alarm about the risk he poses to the safety, security and future of our country and democracy, which is why a historic number of Arizona Republicans and independents are putting country before party and supporting Vice President Harris. Trump wants unchecked power.” and it’s up to Arizona voters to decide whether they want to let him have that power,” James Martin, Arizona coordinated campaign rapid response director, said in a written statement.

Trump’s allies bemoan ‘decline of nation’

Several Trump allies helped warm up the crowd ahead of Trump’s appearance in Tempe. They painted a dark picture of a nation overrun by immigrant-driven violence, but research shows that immigrants are no more likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born Americans.

Trump campaign senior adviser Stephen Miller vowed that Trump would “send home every criminal gang, every criminal immigrant, every last threat that crosses our border to prey on the people of this state.”

Miller served as a senior adviser on immigration during Trump’s time in the White House and helped implement the “zero tolerance” policy that separated families at the US-Mexico border.

In the current election cycle, Miller has proposed building mass deportation camps to help fulfill Trump’s campaign promise of “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history,” which he said would involve the military.

Entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy brought the crowd to its feet with a rousing speech that framed the election in existential terms.

“We are a nation in decline. We have become this way. But it does not have to stay this way.”

As the crowd stood, he declared: “2024 is our 1776.”

“You either believe in American exceptionalism, or you believe in apologizing for who we are. You can’t have it both ways, Ramaswamy said.

U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., returned to the issue of crime during fiery remarks criticizing the American left. Biggs called Harris and Democrats “a bunch of liars” and cited data from officials. shows a decrease in crimenot true.

Biggs addressed the “Hitler” controversy on stage at the rally, saying Democrats were calling Trump “Nazi” to hurt him politically.

Kari Lake reacts to comment that Bill Clinton is ‘physically attractive’

Onstage, Trump urged voters to support Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake in Arizona.

Although Lake was an ally of Trump, his relationship with the former president soured reportedly chilled His chances of winning the Senate race appear slim. gallego has leadership most in public voting.

At a campaign event in Phoenix the other day, Former President Bill Clinton commented That the lake is “physically attractive”. Lake addressed the remarks on stage before Trump’s rally.

“As a middle-aged woman, I’m flattered,” Lake said.

“I thought I was a little too old for him. Doesn’t he like interns?”