Keylin Sarahi arrived in Whitewater, Wisconsin about seven months after escaping her home country of Nicaragua. She shared that back there, she lived in fear due to threats on her life. Now, she’s found a new home in Whitewater, a charming college town with around 15,000 residents located in southeastern Wisconsin. “It’s such a peaceful and beautiful place,” the 27-year-old expressed in Spanish.
However, Whitewater has become part of the narrative pushed by Donald Trump, who claims that towns across America are being overwhelmed by dangerous immigrants.
He pointed out that housing prices have skyrocketed in Whitewater and warned of spreading diseases and rising crime rates due to an influx of approximately 2,000 migrants from Venezuela and Nicaragua—whom he described as “very tough people.”
During a rally in nearby Prairie du Chien, Trump ominously declared that if Kamala Harris were to be reelected, towns like Whitewater would turn into “a Third World hell hole.”
Local leaders from places like Whitewater, Charleroi, Springfield, and Aurora have repeatedly challenged Trump’s claims. Many of them are nonpartisan or Republican officials who argue that his rhetoric distracts from the real issues they face.
John Weidl, the city manager of Whitewater—who emphasized his nonpartisan position and chose not to disclose his political affiliation—said it best: “I mean this with all respect to everyone’s beliefs; it’s just regular folks going about their lives here. Everything feels pretty normal. Yes, there are more Spanish speakers now than before—but we’ve always had some.”
In Springfield specifically, Trump claimed that Haitian migrants were ruining their way of life.
His campaign even labeled Aurora as a war zone overtaken by a brutal Venezuelan gang while asserting that immigrants had wrecked Charleroi’s housing market and caused rampant crime there too.
Dan Meyer, the police chief of Whitewater, pushed back against Trump’s assertion that crime was on the rise in their town. He acknowledged that the arrival of around 1,000 migrants has created some hurdles for the local police force of 24 officers, primarily due to issues with unlicensed drivers and a shortage of translators. Meyer emphasized that immigrants are no more prone to criminal behavior than anyone else in the community. He expressed his belief that most residents are supportive of immigrants; those who aren’t might just not have had many positive interactions with them or may be influenced by misconceptions.
In a statement to POLITICO, Anna Kelly, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee representing Trump’s campaign, didn’t directly address Meyer’s rebuttal but mentioned concerns from local officials nationwide about problems stemming from what she called Kamala Harris’s open border policy. She stated that “Every state is a border state” and insisted that only Trump could restore safety in America.
Trump and his supporters initially seized on Whitewater after Meyer and another official wrote to President Biden last year asking for federal help due to the rapid demographic changes impacting their city. Meyer clarified that they weren’t trying to disparage migrants; instead, he noted how much value their diversity adds to the community.
Shortly after this letter became public, right-leaning news site Breitbart published an article titled Biden floods small Wisconsin town with 1,000 migrants. Meanwhile, in Springfield, both Mayor Rob Rue and Governor Mike DeWine—who are Republicans—have criticized Trump for promoting unfounded claims that Haitian migrants were harming pets in the area.
Despite this backlash and chaos following bomb threats affecting schools and businesses there, Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance have stood firm on these false allegations.
Similarly, Aurora’s Republican Mayor Mike Coffman spoke out ahead of Trump’s rally last month where he made inflammatory comments about immigrants being dangerous criminals.
Coffman used this opportunity to remind everyone that Aurora is actually a safe city—not one dominated by gangs from Venezuela.
In Springfield and Charleroi near Pittsburgh, local leaders have welcomed migrants who they believe are revitalizing their struggling economies. However, some residents still cling to Trump’s narrative about these newcomers.
In Springfield specifically, locals shared with POLITICO their concerns regarding Haitians living there.
Kristine Zaballos, one of the co-founders of Whitewater’s Community Space—a volunteer-driven organization that offers free food, clothing, toys, books, and household items to locals—shared that there are folks who genuinely believe in what they hear. They think it’s not just exaggeration or politics; they see it as the truth because they encounter these messages repeatedly. This constant reinforcement is driving a deeper divide in our community, similar to what’s happening across the U.S., regarding perceptions of reality.
When it comes to Trump’s messaging, immigration is at the forefront more than any other topic. His language around this issue has taken on a more nativist and even racist tone. The 2024 GOP platform suggests that undocumented immigrants—who Democrats supposedly let roam freely—are responsible for inflation, election integrity issues, and rising crime rates.
Trump has vowed to kick off mass deportations on his first day in office as part of a strategy that also includes high tariffs and significant deregulation aimed at revitalizing the economy for his blue-collar supporters—the so-called forgotten men and women of America.
Under President Biden’s administration, illegal border crossings have hit record highs. This topic resonates well with voters for Trump; he’s been pushing hard to make it a central theme of his campaign while Republican candidates insist that every state should be viewed as a border state.
Throughout the campaign season, Trump has highlighted alarming stories about migrant crime across various communities in the U.S.
However, in Whitewater, residents have largely banded together to support one another—both newcomers and long-time locals alike.
The city government even lists various immigrant resources on its website and collaborates with a local coalition to create bilingual videos aimed at helping new arrivals navigate local customs and regulations.
Kay Robers, another co-founder of Community Space, commented on how welcoming the community is: “It’s pretty amazing because nobody looks at them like outsiders; everyone seems okay with each other.” In 2023 alone, their organization provided over 211,000 pounds of food and 144,000 pounds of clothing to nearly 25,000 visitors.
Given Whitewater’s poverty rate stands at 32.5% as per recent Census data—almost 22 percentage points higher than the state average—Robers pointed out an increase in white families utilizing their services due to financial struggles at grocery stores.
Michael Godding, an 80-year-old waiting in line next to Sarahi at Community Space raised an important question: “Everyone seems focused on helping middle-class families or those above them; but what about those who are struggling below?”
With the election only a few days away, Kamala Harris and Trump made their way back to Wisconsin on Friday to share their differing ideas for the country.
When asked if he had any words for them, Weidl said he would say the same thing to both: Stay safe and be honest. He added that Whitewater is a great place—it’s a university town and very diverse, and there’s nothing wrong with that at all.