JD Vance links economic problems to illegal immigration in Arizona

While visiting Arizona just days before Election Day, Senator JD Vance stirred up the crowd in Scottsdale by arguing that Vice President Kamala Harris has prioritized illegal immigrants over American citizens.

Vance, a senator from Ohio and the Republican nominee for vice president, ticked off a list of economic problems facing Americans and tied each problem, using sometimes exaggerated or ambiguous claims, to the president’s record Joe Biden and Harris on illegal immigration.

“Compassion for the American president must start with the American people, and the people who have the legal right to be here,” Vance told hundreds of supporters at Dillon Precision, a gun and ammunition store in Scottsdale.

Former President Donald Trump and Harris are locked in fierce competition in Arizona, one of the few swing states in this year’s presidential election on November 5. Polls show Trump has a slight lead in Arizona, although the race is expected to be close.

Both campaigns have sent surrogates across Arizona as the race enters its final days. On Thursday, both Harris and Trump held rallies in Arizona, each drawing thousands of supporters.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walzthe Democratic vice presidential candidate, also came to Arizona on Saturday to campaign in Flagstaff and Tucson. He questioned Trump’s ability to deliver results for working people.

“What the hell does a billionaire know about hardship?” Walz said Saturday in Flagstaff.

The trip marks Vance’s second straight week campaigning in Arizona. Vance was last in the state last month for a meeting in Peoria.

Vance blames the economic problems on immigration

Much of Vance’s half-hour speech in Scottsdale focused on linking Americans’ economic problems to illegal immigration.

“The cost of this border crisis to the state of Arizona is unbelievable,” Vance said.

When it comes to housing, Vance said, “No matter how many homes we build, if we have a president like Kamala Harris who gives American homes to illegal aliens instead of American citizens, we will never achieve the American dream of homeownership. affordable.”

It is unclear exactly which program Vance was referring to. Harris announced a plan to provide $25,000 to first-generation homebuyers, which Vance has done in the past misleadingly depicted as alms for illegal immigrants. A press aide for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.

Like he’s done before in Arizona, Vance painted a painting of school systems overwhelmed by an influx of non-English speaking students.

“What does it do to the education of an American child if you drop thousands of children into their school system who don’t speak English?”

The rising toll of the country’s fentanyl crisis and the costs of immigration enforcement are adding to the economic toll, he said.

Speakers reject ‘fascist’ accusations against Trump

Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s son, helped introduce Vance.

He defended A comment his father made earlier this week in Phoenix that evoked a threatening image of former Rep. Liz Cheney.

Speaking about the Republican former congresswoman from Wyoming who is a frequent critic, Trump said: “She is a radical war hawk. Let’s put her there with a gun while nine barrels shoot at her. OK? Let’s see what she thinks about it. You know, when the guns are pointed at her face.”

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said this on Friday she investigated the comments as a potentially actionable threat.

Trump Jr. called the investigation a sign that Democrats and the media misinterpreted or overreacted to his father’s comments.

“At this point it’s pure propaganda,” he said. “You have the power to change all that.”

Vance also pushed back on Harris’ description of Trump as a “fascist.”

“We’re not bad people because we love this country enough to think Kamala Harris should do better,” he said.

Lake reiterates Trump’s pledge to punish news media

Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake was among the warm-up speakers. She accused the mainstream media of spreading “fake news” — a common campaign theme for Lake — and echoed Trump’s calls to punish certain broadcast networks through the Federal Communications Commission, an independent regulatory agency.

“We’re going to take a good look at the FCC licenses these people have,” she said. “We give them those licenses and they lie to us.”

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and founder of the group Turning Point USA, promoted his organization’s get-out-the-vote efforts and touted the Republican Party’s growing advantage in voter registration in Arizona. He encouraged people to rally their friends and neighbors behind Trump.

“He took a bullet for you. Now go get ballots in the mail for him,” Kirk said.

Arizona Republic reporter Stephanie Murray contributed to this report.