Former President Donald Trump is planning to criticize President Joe Biden’s handling of the US-Mexico border during his visits to Wisconsin and Michigan, both crucial states in the 2024 election. Trump is set to discuss what his campaign calls “Biden’s Border Bloodbath” during events in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Green Bay, Wisconsin. Polls suggest that Trump has an advantage over Biden on immigration issues, with many voters expressing concerns about the record number of illegal border crossings.
Incidents involving immigrants in the US illegally being charged with crimes have been highlighted by Trump and his party in recent weeks. Trump is expected to touch upon the killing of Ruby Garcia, a Michigan woman, during his speech. Garcia was found dead on the side of a highway in Grand Rapids, and the suspect, Brandon Ortiz Vite, admitted to shooting her during an argument. Ortiz Vite, a citizen of Mexico, had previously been deported following a drunk driving arrest.
Trump’s spokesperson has accused Biden of allowing chaos and violence to affect every town and state in the country. However, FBI statistics show that overall violent crime dropped in the US in the past year, including in Michigan where violent crime hit a three-year low. Trump has been incorporating inflammatory rhetoric about migrants at the southern border and accusing Biden of conspiracies to undermine the country.
Biden’s campaign preemptively criticized Trump’s planned speeches by accusing him of politicizing tragedies and spreading hate and division. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, acknowledged the issues at the southern border and blamed the former president for halting bipartisan efforts to address them. Republican lawmakers in Michigan and Wisconsin are lagging behind Democrats in terms of organization with the 2024 election approaching.
In Michigan, Republican Party officials have not made significant investments in general election efforts yet, and lawmakers have been engulfed in controversy. In Wisconsin, Democrats have a strong organization with numerous field offices and staff in place. The Wisconsin Republican Party has been struggling financially and organizationally, with their executive director resigning months before the national convention. Democrats in Wisconsin have been experiencing victories, including a recent overturning of legislative maps favoring Republicans.
Trump’s upcoming visits to Wisconsin and Michigan are significant as the states are crucial battlegrounds for the 2024 election. His campaign aims to catch up with Democratic efforts by opening offices and hiring staff in the coming weeks. Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric about immigration and accusations against Biden are likely to dominate his speeches in the two states. The visits mark Trump’s return to the campaign trail in the states since his previous appearances.
