Five days before the presidential debate, former President Donald Trump once again made immigrants the focus of his campaign, as he did in 2016.
At a large rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Republican candidate reiterated his promise to "initiate the largest deportation operation in U.S. history" and to close the southern border if re-elected according to El Espaniol.
Using the same strategy that helped propel his previous campaign, Trump accused immigrants of being the root of the country's biggest problems.
Blaming Immigrants for National Issues
In his speech, Trump referred to many immigrants as "drug dealers, gang members, and murderers," falsely claiming they take jobs away from Americans, especially Latinos and African Americans.
He cited recent incidents involving foreign suspects, such as the murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston, Texas, for which two Venezuelans were arrested and charged.
"They crossed our border claiming to fear for their lives in Venezuela, but you know, crime in Venezuela has gone down... because they've brought all the criminals here," he said to applause.
Controversial Proposals and Criticism of Biden
Trump also mentioned the arrest of an Ecuadorian accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in New York, and recent charges against a Salvadoran for the rape and murder of Rachel Morin, a mother of five in Maryland.
In a joking tone, Trump suggested immigrants should have their own fighting league similar to the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), proposing to his friend Dana White, UFC's president, to create a competition for immigrants that would be highly profitable.
"You're going to start a new fighting league with only immigrants... and at the end of the year, the immigrant champion will fight your champion (the UFC's), and I hate to tell you Dana, but I think the immigrant will win. That's how tough they are," Trump quipped, continuing his rhetoric that new arrivals are violent.
