Trump Rebrands Mass Deportation Plan, Bashes Harris Immigration Policies

 

At a rally in Aurora, Colorado, on Friday, former President Donald Trump unveiled his mass deportation plan, which he named after the city, marking it as the starting point for his proposed policy if elected in November. Trump, addressing supporters in one of two cities where he plans to initiate mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, declared his intent to "solve this problem."

"I make this pledge and vow to you, November 5, 2024, will be liberation day in America," Trump told the crowd. "I will rescue Aurora and every town that has been invaded and conquered."

Trump's plan, titled Operation Aurora, includes a call for the death penalty for undocumented migrants who are found guilty of killing American citizens or law enforcement officers. He also mentioned that "elite squads" from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Border Patrol, and federal law enforcement agencies would be deployed to identify and remove undocumented immigrants.

Standing before posters labeled "Occupied America" featuring images of Venezuelan gang members, Trump criticized current border policies, claiming they had made the country unsafe. He reiterated that other nations had released prisoners and mentally ill individuals into the U.S., contributing to the problem.

"They were rough, the ones that came in," Trump said, arguing that under his administration, no violent criminals were allowed to enter the country. He also criticized the Biden-Harris administration for allegedly flying in migrants who bypass border checks. This claim referenced humanitarian parole programs for individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, who are vetted by immigration officials before entering the U.S. legally.

Trump vowed to shut down CBP One, an app expanded under the Biden administration to help migrants schedule appointments with border officials, stating it would be eliminated within 24 hours of taking office.

Aurora recently gained national attention due to a viral video showing Venezuelan gang members causing disturbances at an apartment complex. While Aurora's Republican mayor, Mike Coffman, acknowledged concerns about the southwest border, he described the claims of widespread migrant criminal activity as exaggerated. He clarified that local gangs were not in control of the city’s apartment complexes.

Coffman, who did not attend Trump's rally, explained that while the city has experienced an influx of migrants, it also has a legal and well-established Venezuelan community that has been targeted by the criminal element. He expressed concerns about the inadequate vetting of migrants at the border, which has sometimes allowed criminals to exploit immigrant communities.

Trump, however, continued to assert that violent migrant criminals had overrun Aurora, a message he has repeated in rallies and during a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. GOP Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, a Trump ally, also criticized the Biden-Harris administration during a visit to Aurora earlier in the month.

Despite previously planning to visit Springfield, Ohio—another city of focus for his campaign—Trump canceled the trip. His rally in Aurora, held at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, saw hundreds of supporters line up to attend.

Trump’s senior advisor, Stephen Miller, speaking ahead of Trump's appearance, claimed Colorado could turn Republican in 2024, promising that a second Trump administration would follow through on mass deportations. Trump emphasized his strict immigration policies during his previous term and criticized the Biden administration for easing border enforcement. However, his rhetoric did not distinguish between criminal migrants and those seeking legal asylum, prompting backlash from immigrant rights groups, Democrats, and even some Republicans.