Trump’s rhetoric enflames debate over immigration policy

[KARAH RUCKER]

ONE OF TRUMP’S TOP CAMPAIGN PROMISES HEADING INTO 2024 IS IMMIGRATION REFORM. HE HIGHLIGHTS THE BORDER CRISIS AS A TOP ISSUE FACING THE U.S. — SOMETHING MOST AMERICANS AGREE WITH.

A CBS NEWS POLL AND A WALL STREET JOURNAL POLL RELEASED THIS MONTH HAVE IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER AS THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE BEHIND THE ECONOMY FOR VOTERS.

TRUMP SAYS HIS IMMIGRATION POLICIES WILL LEAD TO THE LARGEST REFORM THE U.S. HAS EVER SEEN. IT’S SOMETHING HE TALKS ABOUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AT EVERY RALLY.

MASS DEPORTATIONS OF IMMIGRANTS WHO CROSSED THE BORDER ILLEGALLY. BRINGING THE NATIONAL GUARD AND OUR TROOPS FROM OVERSEAS TO THE BORDER TO STOP THE RECORD INFLUX OF MIGRANTS CROSSING ILLEGALLY INTO THE COUNTRY.

BUT THIS PAST WEEKEND, HIS REMARKS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE HAVE LARGELY OVERSHADOWED POLICY IN HIS LATEST CONTROVERSY.

HERE’S WHAT TRUMP SAID.

“When they let 15-16 million people into our country, when they do that, we’ve got a lot of work to do. They’re poisoning the blood of our country. They’ve poisoned mental institutions, prisons all over the world, not just South America or the three or four countries we think about. But they’re coming from all over the world from africa, asia, they’re pouring into our country. Nobody is even looking at them, they just come in.  

TRUMP IS BEING CRITICIZED FOR SAYING “POISONING THE BLOOD OF OUR COUNTRY” AS HITLER’S MANIFESTO CALLED THE MIXING OF RACES “BLOOD POISONING.”

BOTH DEMOCRATS AND SOME REPUBLICANS HAVE PUBLICLY CONDEMNED THE FORMER PRESIDENT’S CHOICE OF WORDS.

TRUMP’S RHETORIC IS SOMETHING REPUBLICANS ARE GETTING USED TO, DOWNPLAYING THE COMMENTS OF THE PARTY’S FRONTRUNNER.

REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSAY GRAHAM WAS PRESSED ON TRUMP’S REMARKS

[KRISTEN WELKER]

“The Biden campaign has accused former president trump of ‘parodying Adolf Hitler.’ what is your reaction? Are the president’s comments representative of how you and other Republicans feel?”

[LINDSEY GRAHAM]

“Seventy-six percent of the American people, not Donald Trump, believe the border is broken. They’re worried about fentanyl coming over and killing their kids, I could care less what language is used as long as we get it right.”

[KRISTEN WELKER]

But what about his language, Senator?

[LINDSEY GRAHAM]

Well…

[KRISTEN WELKER]

Just that language, that “poisoning the blood.”

[LINDSEY GRAHAM]

Yeah. I’m worried about an outcome. He is right to want — he had the border secured the lowest in 40 years in December of 2020. To the Biden administration, you’re talking about Donald Trump’s language as you sat on the sidelines and allowed the country to be invaded. 172 people on the terrorist watch list have come on your watch. Fentanyl’s killing more Americans…

[KRISTEN WELKER]

Senator.

[LINDSEY GRAHAM]

…than any time in history.

[KRISTEN WELKER]

Senator, just on the language, just on the language, though. You have endorsed former President Trump. Are you comfortable with him using words like that?

[LINDSEY GRAHAM]

You know, we’re talking about language. I could care less what language people use as long as we get it right.

[KARAH RUCKER]

GRAHAM ARGUES THE COUNTRY SHOULD FOCUS ON THE DIFFERENCE IN POLICY BUT BECAUSE OF TRUMP’S WORD CHOICE, HIS STANCE ON IMMIGRATION AND HIS POLICY PROPOSALS ARE NOW IN THE HEADLINES AS “ANTI-IMMIGRANT.”

ABC: “TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON ANTI-IMMIGRATION RHETORIC.”

CNN: “TRUMP TARGETS UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS…AS HE LEANS INTO ANTI-IMMIGRANT RHETORIC.”

AND MSNBC: “THE DANGERS OF TRUMP’S ANTI-IMMIGRANT RHETORIC.”

TRUMP SEEMED TO ATTEMPT TO CLARIFY THE REMARKS ON TRUTH SOCIAL AFTER HIS SPEECH, STANDING BY BEING ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, AND THAT “ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION” IS “POISONING THE BLOOD OF OUR NATION.”

TRUMP’S WORDS ARE KNOWN TO TRIGGER CONTROVERSY. HE RECENTLY SAID HE WOULD BE “DICTATOR FOR A DAY.”

BUT HIS RHETORIC DOESN’T SEEM TO BE HURTING HIM IN THE POLLS. TRUMP’S LEAD IN THE PRIMARY IS UNWAVERING. NO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HAS BEEN THIS FAR AHEAD IN NATIONAL POLLS AND GONE ON TO LOSE THE PRIMARY, WHICH MEANS MORE RALLIES, MORE SPEECHES, AND MORE HEADLINES CENTERED ON TRUMP’S WORD CHOICE AS 2024 IS ON THE HORIZON.