Donald Trump, in a series of fiery speeches, warned of a "bloody" eviction of millions of undocumented immigrants from the United States if he is re-elected in the upcoming presidential election. He talked about his plans to deport large numbers of people. He also referred to his future plans, such as the establishment of internment camps. As he continues to threaten legal action against his political opponents, his remarks have sparked questions about the direction of his campaign.
Trump made the allegation that illegal immigrants will overrun American homes during a rally in Wisconsin, likening them to "Venezuela on steroids." He envisioned a situation in which, should Kamala Harris win the presidency, the number of unauthorized immigrants may soar to 100 million. This amount was much greater than any reliable estimate given by immigration study organizations, and it would represent a 30% increase in the U.S. population.
According to estimates from groups like the Center for Immigration Studies and the Pew Research Center, there are between 11 and 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States. The figure was put at 16.8 million by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a group that has drawn criticism for its ties to extremist organizations. Even with these data, Trump's claims were far higher than anticipated.
In his 100-minute address, Trump further emphasized his intention to remove undocumented immigrants from the country, stating, "Getting them out will be a bloody story." His words were intended to energize his supporters, who have mainly backed his strict immigration policies throughout his 2016 presidential campaign.
In a different but connected action, Trump accused Democrats of "cheating and skullduggery" in the 2020 presidential race and threatened legal action against his competitors. He promised that if re-elected, his government will bring legal action against attorneys, political strategists, financial contributors, and election officials who were allegedly implicated in electoral fraud. "Those involved in unscrupulous behavior will be sought out, caught, and prosecuted at levels, unfortunately, never seen before in our country," he wrote on his social media platform.
President Joe Biden was proclaimed the victor of the 2020 election by a margin of more than 7 million votes in the popular vote, while President Trump's ludicrous accusations of rampant voting fraud were consistently dismissed by US courts. However, Trump hinted that such electoral fraud may take place in 2024, which led him to pledge "the closest professional scrutiny" of the electoral procedure.
Trump's increasingly alarmist language is seen by many as a calculated strategy to avert any adverse result in the 2024 race. His remarks, together with his warnings of mass deportations and legal repercussions for his opponents, point to a campaign that will likely always center around divisive and contentious issues.