At a campaign rally in Arizona on Thursday, former President Donald Trump criticized illegal immigration, claiming that the United States has become a dumping ground for the rest of the world.
We’ve become a place where everything unwanted ends up, almost like the world’s trash bin, Trump remarked during the event in Tempe, expressing his disapproval of how the Biden-Harris administration has managed border issues.
Whenever I discuss the actions they’ve taken regarding our nation, my frustration just keeps growing, he added. It’s the first time I’ve ever referred to it as a garbage can. But honestly, it’s a fitting portrayal.
With less than two weeks remaining until Election Day, this statement represents a significant intensification of Trump’s anti-immigrant discourse, as he emphasizes border security as a key focus of his campaign to regain the presidency.
Since his 2016 campaign, Trump has frequently employed derogatory terms to characterize undocumented immigrants, depicting them as violent criminals and individuals from mental institutions. He has consistently asserted during his campaign appearances that the nation is facing an invasion. If he regains the presidency, he has vowed to intensify immigration enforcement, stating earlier this year his intention to deport between 15 and 20 million individuals—significantly more than the 1.5 million deportations that occurred during his time in office.
He has reiterated baseless allegations regarding Haitian immigrants allegedly consuming the pets of Springfield, Ohio residents, a narrative initially promoted by his associate, Ohio Senator JD Vance. Additionally, earlier this month, Trump implied that undocumented immigrants who engage in murder possess undesirable genetic traits.
As the race approaches its conclusion, Trump has focused his campaign on immigration, emphasizing to voters that securing the border and removing individuals who have entered illegally are critical national issues. He consistently holds his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, responsible for the rise in undocumented migrants, wrongly portraying her as having authority over border matters.
The Biden-Harris administration has experienced an unprecedented surge in illegal border crossings, with a decline in numbers starting only after the administration implemented significant restrictions on asylum access for migrants entering the country unlawfully in June. This action utilized the same legal powers that Trump sought to employ during his presidency.
During a town hall meeting on Wednesday, Harris highlighted the shortcomings of the U.S. immigration system and argued that Congress must come together across party lines, especially when asked if the Biden administration should have responded more quickly to this issue.
She drew a contrast with Trump’s handling of border security, mocking the former president for opting out of attending a town hall despite being invited. She pointed out his failure to fulfill his promise to build a wall along the southern U.S. border and have Mexico pay for it.
She compared this to Trump’s track record on border security, ridiculing the former president—who was invited but chose not to attend a town hall—for not delivering on his commitment to construct a wall along the southern border of the United States and to have Mexico finance it.