Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump makes a campaign stop at manufacturer FALK Production in Walker, Michigan, U.S. September 27, 2024. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo
Trump Amplifies Violent Rhetoric on Immigration in Final Stretch of 2024 Campaign
Focus on Border Security in Michigan Speech
During a campaign event at a Michigan manufacturing plant on September 27, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump initially billed his speech as addressing the local economy. However, the first 25 minutes were largely spent discussing border security, with increasingly graphic descriptions of violence by migrants crossing the U.S. southern border. Trump falsely claimed that migrants were committing heinous crimes, such as slaughtering Americans and violently assaulting young girls in front of their parents.
Trump’s campaign did not respond to inquiries regarding evidence for these statements. His comments come as he ramps up his focus on immigration, an issue that resonates strongly with Republican voters, according to opinion polls. Trump, who has long portrayed migrants as criminals and threats to national security, has promised to implement the largest deportation effort in U.S. history if elected on November 5.
Escalating Rhetoric on Immigration
As Election Day approaches, Trump’s language surrounding immigration has become more extreme, critics argue. Previously content to describe border crossers as “killers” or “terrorists,” Trump has shifted to using more vivid and apocalyptic language. He now speaks of “savages” and “predators” who, he alleges, sexually assault young girls, and has referred to small American towns as “blighted refugee camps.”
This shift toward increasingly graphic and violent descriptions of migrants appears to be part of a broader strategy to mobilize Republican voters by appealing to their fears and frustrations. Critics, including immigrant rights advocates, accuse Trump of exploiting racist tropes and scapegoating immigrants for a variety of national issues, from unemployment to school overcrowding and housing affordability.
Fact-Checking Immigration and Crime
Despite Trump’s claims, a range of studies consistently show that immigrants do not commit crimes at higher rates than native-born Americans. While some research indicates that increased low-skilled immigration may lower wages for Americans without a high school diploma, overall, immigration supports the U.S. workforce, which is shrinking due to the retirement of older workers.
Trump’s rhetoric has blurred the distinction between legal and illegal immigration. For example, last month, he falsely accused Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, of eating household pets—a statement rooted in a long-standing racial stereotype. This generalization of immigrants as a dangerous population has drawn sharp criticism for dehumanizing entire communities.
Migrants as Political Scapegoats
Trump’s language has not only become more violent but also more politically charged, according to experts. His references to violent crimes allegedly committed by migrants, many of which are unsupported by data, are seen as an attempt to tie the immigration debate to issues of public safety. During a rally in Wisconsin, Trump suggested that migrants would “rape, pillage, thieve, plunder and kill” Americans and go so far as to “walk into your kitchen, they’ll cut your throat.” Even Trump acknowledged the darkness of his rhetoric, calling it “a dark speech.”
The escalation in language is seen by critics as part of Trump’s broader strategy to appeal to his base, which consists largely of non-college-educated white males. At the same time, he has laid the groundwork to potentially contest election results by claiming that non-citizens are voting illegally in large numbers, despite the lack of evidence for such claims.
Public Reaction and Impact on Voters
Trump’s messaging, particularly linking migrants to crime, appears to be gaining traction among certain segments of the electorate. A recent poll by KFF, a health policy research organization, revealed that 80% of Americans had encountered false claims linking migrants to violent crime, and 74% had heard that immigrants were taking jobs from U.S. citizens. Among independent voters, 53% believed these statements to be “definitely true or probably true.”
Experts, including Drew Altman, president of KFF, have noted that Trump’s rhetoric on immigration seems to be resonating with voters. “It’s absolutely penetrating,” Altman said, though he acknowledged that the broader impact on winning new votes remains uncertain. Political analysts suggest that this may be Trump’s attempt at “a game of inches,” using fear-based narratives to sway undecided or independent voters in the final weeks of the campaign.
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