Former President Donald Trump drops a bombshell estimate on the number of illegal immigrants in the United States, igniting a fierce debate on immigration policy.
In an exclusive interview with Breitbart, Trump asserted that there are approximately 21 million illegal aliens in the country.
Trump's comments came in response to Vice President Kamala Harris's recent inability to provide a specific number of illegal immigrants who have entered the country during the Biden-Harris administration. The former president seized on this moment to present his own figures and outline his perspective on the immigration crisis.
During the interview, Trump cited a report claiming that 13,099 illegal immigrant murderers were released into the country over the past three and a half years. He described this as a consequence of what he termed a "horrible administration."
The former president expressed his belief that the border issue is one of the most significant concerns for the American people. He pointed out that immigrants are not only coming from South America but from various parts of the world, including what he claimed were prisons, jails, and mental institutions.
Trump stated:
There were 180 countries represented so far this year, according to the border patrol, 180. They're coming from all over the world, from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums, and they are being dumped into the United States of America — the largest number of terrorists that we've ever seen.
Trump didn't hold back in his criticism of the current administration's border policies. He accused them of allowing dangerous individuals into the country, including drug dealers and terrorists. The former president contrasted this with his own administration's record, claiming that during his tenure, there were "almost no terrorists coming in."
He promised that if given the opportunity, he would take action to deport those he considers threats to national security. Trump emphasized the need to "save our country" by addressing what he views as a critical immigration crisis.
In outlining his approach to the immigration issue, Trump reiterated his campaign slogan, stating that the goal is to "make America great again." He insisted that there is "no choice" but to confront the immigration challenge directly.
The former president also touched on the human cost of illegal immigration, mentioning his meetings with families of victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants. He specifically referenced the case of Laken Riley, a nursing student who was tragically killed, using it as an example of the potential dangers he associates with unchecked immigration.
Trump criticized the practice of some countries allegedly sending their criminal populations to the United States. He claimed:
They've dumped their prison populations into this country. And by the way, countries all over the world, their crime is way down because they're dumping their criminals into America.
Trump's statements on immigration continue to be a central part of his political messaging, reflecting his long-standing focus on border security and immigration control. His claims about the number of illegal immigrants and their alleged impact on crime rates are likely to fuel ongoing debates about immigration policy in the United States.
The former president's remarks underscore the contentious nature of the immigration debate in American politics. Trump's estimate of 21 million illegal immigrants far exceeds official figures, highlighting the divergent perspectives on the scale and nature of the immigration challenge. His call for urgent action and criticism of the current administration's policies signal that immigration will remain a pivotal issue in upcoming political discourse and potential future campaigns.
