US election 2024: Trump stands firm on pet-eating accusations against migrants, insisting they have been ‘reported’

Former US President Donald Trump spoke to Latino voters during a town hall meeting in Miami that aired on Univision on Thursday evening. He discussed important issues such as immigration and job creation. However, his comments were overshadowed by controversial claims about migrants, including a repeated claim that they are involved in unusual and alarming behavior such as eating pets.

During the town hall, Trump, the Republican presidential nominee for the upcoming election, was confronted by a Spanish-speaking audience member who asked if he really believed his earlier comments about migrants in Springfield, Ohio. Trump defended his statements, insisting, “I only said what was reported,” adding that such claims had been widely circulated in the media.

“This has just been reported. “I didn’t… I was there, I’ll be there, and I’ll give you a full report when I do, but that’s been in the papers and pretty widely reported,” he claimed.

Job creation promises

Trump reiterated his commitment to bringing jobs back to America, saying: “You’re not going to look at just one job. You start looking for a job that you want. You will have your choice.” He portrayed himself as a strong supporter of farmers and claimed he is the “best thing” to happen to the agricultural sector.

Responding to concerns about the impact of deporting undocumented migrants, Trump acknowledged the need for labor but insisted that all migrants must enter the country legally and with love for America. He criticized the Biden-Harris administration, claiming they had “completely lost control” over immigration.

Focus on immigration

Trump emphasized that many Latin American individuals are against illegal immigration, stating, “The people who are most against it are Latin American people; they are absolutely against it.” He argued that jobs in the Black and Hispanic communities are being taken by undocumented immigrants.

The town hall also addressed the January 6 Capitol riots, in which Trump supporters breached the Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. When asked about his former Vice President Mike Pence, who has distanced himself from him since the riots, Trump deflected and said: “Hundreds of thousands of people are coming to Washington. They didn’t come because of me. They came because of the elections. They thought the elections were rigged. That’s why they came,” characterizing the day as “a day of love from the point of view of millions.”

Comments on Vice President Harris

Trump was asked to name three positive qualities of Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. He stated that she “seems to have the ability to survive”, “has some pretty old friendships” and “has a nice way about her”. However, he criticized her and suggested that her qualities do not serve the country well.