During the first presidential debate, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris engaged in a heated exchange over the state of crime in the United States, particularly focusing on the issue of migrant-related crime. Trump accused Harris and the Biden administration of allowing a surge in crime, pointing specifically to illegal immigrants. Harris, in turn, defended her record by referencing Trump’s own legal troubles as a deflection from his claims.
In the debate, held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Trump emphasized that crime had risen sharply due to what he called the administration’s leniency toward illegal immigration. “Yes, it is much higher because of them,” Trump remarked, accusing Harris of allowing dangerous criminals to enter the country during her tenure as vice president.
He went further, claiming that millions of criminals, including terrorists, drug dealers, and street-level offenders, had been permitted to cross into the U.S. under the current administration’s watch. Trump also suggested that countries like Venezuela were deporting criminals to the United States, warning them never to return under the threat of death.
“Do you know that crime in Venezuela and other countries is way down?” Trump said, asserting that nations across the globe were experiencing declining crime rates, while the U.S. was witnessing an unprecedented rise. He continued to argue that America was facing a “new form of crime,” which he labeled as “migrant crime,” suggesting that it had reached levels previously unimaginable. According to Trump, this surge in crime contradicted the administration’s public statements, which he dismissed as fraudulent.
In this exchange, Trump sought to place the blame for rising crime squarely on Harris and the Biden administration, framing the issue as one directly tied to their immigration policies.
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During the debate, ABC’s David Muir interjected to state that “the FBI says overall violent crime is actually coming down in this country.” However, Muir did not mention that these statistics, while showing a decrease, are being compared to historic highs and that several major cities had not reported their data, potentially skewing the overall picture.
Trump quickly dismissed Muir’s comment as misleading. “They were defrauding statements,” he declared. “They didn’t include the most troubled cities. They left out the cities with the highest crime rates. It was a fraud, much like their claim of creating 818,000 jobs, which also turned out to be false.”
In response, Kamala Harris shifted the focus of the debate by highlighting Trump’s own legal troubles. She brought up his criminal convictions and the pending indictments against him, using these points to challenge his credibility and deflect attention from the issues of crime discussed.
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Harris responded sharply, “It’s quite ironic to hear this from someone who has faced prosecution for a range of serious offenses, including national security violations, economic crimes, and election interference. Not to mention, he’s been found liable for sexual assault.”
She continued, “His upcoming court date in November is crucial, as it will be for his own criminal sentencing. It’s important to clarify where each candidate stands regarding the rule of law and respect for law enforcement.”
Harris went on to criticize her opponent’s stance on law enforcement: “The former vice president has advocated for defunding federal law enforcement agencies, including 45,000 agents, right after he was arraigned on 34 felony charges. So let’s focus on what truly matters in this election.”
She emphasized the need for progress and practical solutions: “We need to move beyond the same old rhetoric and address the real issues facing Americans. This includes tackling the housing shortage, which I have a concrete plan for, supporting small businesses, and working to lower grocery prices.”
