At a recent rally in the South Bronx, former President Donald Trump intensified his anti-immigrant rhetoric by making unsubstantiated claims that migrants entering the U.S. are forming an “army.” Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for 2024, portrayed the situation at the southern border as an invasion, using New York City—recently challenged with a surge of asylum-seekers—as a backdrop. He described migrants as predominantly young, physically fit males from diverse regions, including Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and China, suggesting they were preparing for an attack from within. This narrative aligned with his earlier statements about migrants from China, though he provided no evidence to support these claims.
Trump also reiterated his intent to lead the “largest criminal deportation operation in our country’s history,” despite experts warning of its impracticality and potential negative impacts. His remarks were met with chants of “Send them back” from the crowd. These comments came on the heels of a failed Senate vote on a bipartisan border security package, which Trump had influenced Republicans to reject. President Joe Biden criticized this move, noting that the blocked legislation would have bolstered border security, increased immigration judges and asylum officers, and enhanced technology to combat drug trafficking. Biden argued that the rejection demonstrated a prioritization of Trump’s influence over addressing immigration system challenges.
