LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance blamed illegal immigration for Nevada's ongoing housing crisis and suggested mass deportation was one of the things that would ease the difficulty in finding homes for locals.
The Ohio senator's comments came during a 38-minute rally in the Treasure Island ballroom, in which he also encouraged Republicans to vote using any method they can and to bring friends to the polls as well.
If you work hard and play by the rules, we're going to fight for your ability to afford the American dream of homeownership.
"But, let's start with talking about the fact that when you open the border and let 25 million people into your country, you drive up the cost of housing for American citizens. This is simple supply and demand, my friends," JD Vance said.
"We've got to do two things to lower the price of housing, two things to lower the price of housing for Nevadans— we've got to build more houses and we've got to deport the illegal aliens."
Later, JD Vance characterized the plan as "American homes for American citizens."
It's not clear how a potential Trump administration would oversee the deportation of as many people as Vance said are in the country illegally or how those deportations would be carried out.
To build more housing, Vance said, the nation should:
- "Drill, baby, drill" for more fossil fuels, lowering the cost of energy to manufacture and move building materials where they are needed.
- Stop what JD Vance called "ridiculous regulations" that drive up the cost of housing. Vance didn't specify if that included local zoning or building codes that can thwart attempts to build affordable homes.
- Use federal land in Nevada for the construction of new housing. This concept, touted recently by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, has been part of Las Vegas development since the original Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act passed in 1998, but Lombardo has called for accelerating land transfers.
You can watch the full remarks here
After his remarks, Vance opened the floor to questions from local reporters. Channel 13's Steve Sebelius asked him about claims from Democrats, including Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, that big corporations and wealthy investors were buying up home inventory and raising rents— contributing to a shortage of housing.
Again, we want American homes to go to American citizens, and whether we're talking about an illegal alien or a massive foreign conglomerate, I don't want either one of those groups to own American homes. I can't help but wonder, why aren't you doing it right now?
Democrats have tried: Congressman Steven Horsford and U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen have both introduced legislation that would ban "unreasonable" rents and empower the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to investigate alleged price gouging. Thus far, their legislation has not advanced.
In anticipation of Vance's visit, Harris for President Press Secretary, Amahree Archie, released a statement that reads, “JD Vance and Donald Trump are fighting for their billionaire donors, not working families in Nevada."
Their Project 2025 agenda would raise costs for typical families by nearly $4,000 per year, cost the U.S. over 3 million jobs and allow employers to stop paying many workers overtime, all while giving tax breaks to his billionaire donors.
"To protect workers and Nevada families, we must come together to elect Vice President Harris, who will not only eliminate taxes on tips, but go further by raising the minimum wage, and take on corporate landlords to bring down housing costs across the state.”
Election plans
Vance also encouraged the crowd to vote, comments that come as Republicans are outpacing Democrats statewide with combined early and mail voting.
Vance encouraged people to talk to friends and neighbors about voting and to vote 10 times "the legal way," by taking nine friends with you to the polls. He said he was skeptical of early voting, but that it was time to embrace all forms of voting in order to win.
"I say this as somebody who strongly prefers Election Day over election season, but as President Trump says, it is what it is," said Vance. "We are now in a world where early voting, mail-in voting, Election Day voting, these are all the methods that we have to vote. And if Kamala Harris's team is using everything and we're only using one of those methods of voting, then we're going to get killed. So we've got to get out there."
Vance headed to Reno for another rally on Wednesday. On Thursday, President Donald Trump will hold a rally at the Thomas & Mack Center with the conservative group Turning Point USA. That was the site of Harris's record-breaking August rally that saw more than 12,000 people attend.
On Sunday, Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is expected for an event as well.
Visiting guests
Retired teacher Manuel Ramirez of Pomona, California, came to the Vance rally with his son— a big Trump fan.
"They're human, they're honest," Ramirez said of Trump and Vance. "All Americans like this vulgarity that Trump uses. All Americans curse and cuss. ... Also, he's not just for one party people, he's for all sides."
Ramirez, who still works as a substitute teacher, said the youth he works with in schools are coming out for Trump enthusiastically.
Wisconsin pathologist, Stefan Brettfeld, who was in town for a conference, decided to attend the rally on a whim when he learned about it.
I've always been a big Trump supporter and JD Vance has been particularly impressive with his media appearances, and he's added a lot of energy and excitement to the campaign, especially since the debate.
Billy Flowers, on vacation from Mobile, Alabama, also decided to attend the debate as part of his Las Vegas visit, canceling other plans to attend both Vance's rally and Trump's.
"Best part of the vacation so far," Flowers said. "America's in so much trouble right now with our economy, you know, with just everything, our crime rate, and we need President Trump back in office," he added.
Kathy Ochfenbein of Oahu, Hawai'i, said she attended the rally because she supported Vance.
"I support democracy and I love JD Vance, I think he's a great candidate, he's smart, articulate and he served our country, and we need people like that in office," she said.
Lastly, Bryce Tumlinson, of Texas, also came to the rally as a serendipitous coincidence. He said he was waiting for the campaign's classic message, "that we're going to make America great again, that's the main thing, get the economy back on track, that's very important to me, protecting Second Amendment rights is very important to me, protecting First Amendment rights is very important to me."
If you have questions about politics, elections or government in Nevada, submit them to Ask Steve on our website.
Channel 13 has created a voter guide to help you navigate this year's election. In the guide, you can find a polling site in your neighborhood, you can hear from locals about what issues matter to them and you can learn more about what the state is doing to keep voters safe.
