Former US President Donald Trump on a campaign trail has called illegal immigrants in the United States โanimalsโ and โnot humanโ.
The Republican presidential candidate during a speech in Michigan described in detail several criminal cases where illegal immigrants were involved. He also warned that there would be violence and chaos if he did not win the elections on November 5.
Trump who was the president from 2017 to 2021 said, โThe Democrats say, โPlease donโt call them animals. Theyโre humans.โ I said, โNo, theyโre not humans, theyโre not humans, theyโre animals.โโ
During the speech, Trump claimed that if returned to power, he would stop the โplunder, rape, slaughter and destruction of our American suburbs, cities and towns.โ He warned saying that the election could be Americaโs last.
โThis country is finished if we donโt win this election,โ he said. โAnd I heard somebody say โฆ two or three days ago, said, if we donโt win, this may be the last election our country ever has. And there could be truth to it.โ
The issue of illegal migrants has been a regular feature of Trumpโs speeches and he frequently claims that immigrants cross the border from Mexico after escaping from prisons and fuel violence in the United States.
Trump frequently claims without evidence that migrants have caused a spike in violent crimes in US cities. He repeated an unfounded claim that Latin American nations are intentionally sending their criminals to the US.
Some 38% of Republicans cited immigration as the countryโs top issue in a Reuters/Ipsos poll released in late February, as did about one in five independents.
Michigan is one of the swing states and could determine who becomes the next president. In the last election, Biden beat Trump in Michigan by a narrow margin.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden may find the going tough in Michigan โ a state with a large Muslim population โ with over a lakh Democrats remaining uncommitted in Februaryโs presidential primary in Michigan. Muslim leaders boycotted a Ramzan gathering with Biden at the White House.