During a passionate rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, former President Donald Trump criticized President Joe Biden and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer for their immigration strategies, emphasizing crimes linked to their policies.
The Washington Examiner reported that in a fiery address on a crisp Tuesday evening, Trump took aim at Biden and Whitmer. Speaking from a podium in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Trump expressed vehement disapproval of their immigration policies, specifically criticizing their approach towards immigrants and linking these policies to recent crimes.
The focus of Trump’s critique was a policy proposal by Governor Whitmer known as the Newcomer Rental Subsidy program. This initiative reportedly incentivizes landlords with up to $500 per month for one year to provide housing for illegal immigrants.
Trump lambasted this proposition, pointing out that it prioritizes illegal immigrants over American veterans and other needy groups within society.
“She’s now pushing Michigan families to accept $500 a month to take illegal aliens into your homes. They won’t, they don’t say this for our veterans that are on the street. They don’t say this for other people, but they say it for migrants coming in because they want them to vote probably,” Trump declared. His words echoed a sentiment of dissatisfaction towards Whitmer's governance, criticizing the condition of Michigan under her leadership. “She’s a terrible governor by the way. Your streets are bad. Your everything’s bad,” Trump elaborated.
Moreover, Trump envisioned a scenario where American citizens would house immigrants, seeing it as a misuse of taxpayer money. “In other words, Biden and Whitmer are stealing your money to give free housing to illegals and then asking you to quarter these people — put them in your homes and feed them and do everything else,” he added. This vivid illustration of his concern provided a stark picture of Trump’s perception of the current administration's policies.
Linking immigration to increasing crime rates, Trump delved into specific instances where illegal immigrants committed crimes. He brought up the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, who was tragically killed by Venezuelan illegal immigrant Jose Ibarra. Trump used this heart-wrenching story to underscore the tangible consequences he believes result from Biden’s border policies.
Another case cited by Trump involved a previously deported Mexican individual, allowed back into the U.S. during the Biden administration, who murdered Ruby Garcia. Trump stressed, “Under the Trump administration, this monster had been deported, thrown out of the country, wasn’t going to be able to come back.” He squarely blamed Biden for letting the individual back into the country, linking his administration directly with the tragic outcome.
“But not one more innocent life should be lost to Biden migrant crime,” Trump adamantly stated. His speech painted a grim picture of the consequences of current immigration policies. Through these examples, Trump aimed to illustrate a clear cause-and-effect relationship between the Biden administration's immigration stance and violence on American soil.
In a significant moment during his visit, the Police Officers Association of Michigan endorsed Trump. This nod from law enforcement underscored the shared concerns about immigration policies and their implications for public safety. Trump vowed to support law enforcement officers more robustly, particularly in their immigration enforcement duties. He proposed implementing federal immunity for police officers to offer better protection while performing their tasks, ensuring they could do their jobs without fear of legal repercussions.
“Somebody said, ‘How will you get these criminals out?’ I say the sheriffs, the police, the police officers … they know every bad person. They know their first name, their middle name, they know their phone numbers. They have their cell phones. They have everything about them,” Trump detailed his plan for a law enforcement-led response to illegal immigration. This statement revealed his vision for a more aggressive enforcement strategy, leveraging local law enforcement's in-depth knowledge of their communities.
In conclusion, former President Donald Trump's speech in Grand Rapids, Michigan, brought sharp criticism to the forefront against President Joe Biden and Governor Gretchen Whitmer's immigration policies. He accused them of prioritizing illegal immigrants over American citizens and veterans, linking recent crimes directly to their policies. Trump argued that Whitmer's Newcomer Rental Subsidy program was a misuse of taxpayer money and lambasted the state of Michigan under her governance. Through specific instances of crimes committed by illegal immigrants, Trump underscored the consequences he sees arising from the current administration's policies. Furthermore, with the endorsement from the Police Officers Association of Michigan, Trump promised robust support for law enforcement in addressing immigration issues, including a proposal for federal immunity for officers performing immigration duties.