Former President Donald Trump told Latino voters in Florida that the current state of the U.S.'s southern border is a bigger issue than the economy.
Trump has put immigration enforcement at the forefront. Among some of his claims, he has made sweeping calls for the National Guard and local police to conduct mass deportations, saying his second term as president would carry out "the largest deportation operation in American history."
As the election looms large, the Republican presidential nominee made a new pitch to Latino voters in South Florida at a roundtable event held at his Doral golf resort on Tuesday. There, Trump spent most of his time bouncing between various topics, including electric vehicles, the COVID-19 pandemic and immigration.
Trump also warned voters that the U.S. political system could collapse in the same way Venezuela's has if he loses next month's presidential election. If Kamala Harris wins, he said, it could spell the end of democracy in the United States.
"If we lose this election, we may not have a country anymore. And I've heard this from a lot of very smart people ... they say we may never have an election again in this country," Trump said. He then compared the situation to the one taking place in Venezuela, referring to the control current President Nicolás Maduro has in the South American country, where he claimed to win the elections without showing supporting documentation.
Although Trump continues to insist immigration will dominate the way voters cast their ballots on Election Day, polls consistently show that voters prioritize the economy and the rising cost of living. Despite advisers urging him to focus on economic issues.
Earlier this month, while talking at a rally in Atlanta, Trump played a video montage of crimes allegedly committed by undocumented immigrants. After the video, Trump reiterated that immigration is the top issue of the upcoming election.
"The United States is now an occupied country. But on Nov. 5, 2024, that will be liberation day in America," Trump declared to his supporters, emphasizing his belief that immigration won him the 2016 election. He claims the issue wasn't as potent in 2020 due to decreased border crossings during the pandemic, but sees it as a stronger message now, citing record levels of crossings under the Biden-Harris administration, according to The New York Times.
Trump's lead over Harris in Florida
According to poll averages compiled by FiveThirtyEight, Trump leads Harris in the state of Florida by almost 6 percentage points. The latest polls indicate that, if the election was held today, 50.7% of Florida voters would cast their ballot in favor of the Republican candidate, compared to Harris' 44.8%.
Not only is he projected to win the state of Florida, but he could do it thanks to the support of the Latino vote. As the Miami Herald has reported, recent polls show Trump leading Harris among Hispanic voters, and if that advantage holds up, Trump would become the first Republican presidential candidate in two decades to win Florida's Hispanic vote.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, who also attended the event, said that the Hispanic vote is "the deciding factor" in the November elections in Florida. Scott added that "if you want someone who is gonna fight for Latin America, Donald Trump is gonna do it."
Although Trump leads Harris in terms of Latino support in Florida, the current Vice President of the United States holds a lead against Trump among Latino voters at the national level.
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