LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Former President Donald Trump said at a Hispanic roundtable Saturday that the southern border has never been worse, and he blamed "evil" people for the problem.
"Why would they want prisoners, gang members, drug dealers, why would they want murderers, by the way, 13,099 murderers, why would they want these people in our country? Is there any reason for it?" Trump asked during the event. "And I guess, you look at it, and you say they're not smart, they're smart, they're cunning, and a lot of them are evil. But you say that maybe they hate our country. I believe there could be some of that."
Trump also said that immigrants who entered the country illegally were taking jobs from citizens, including legal Hispanic immigrants. He said illegal immigration has expanded to include people from Africa, China and South America as well.
"Right now, we have a country; it's a nation in decline," Trump told the roundtable at a warehouse in North Las Vegas. "We are, sadly, a declining nation."
Trump told the crowd that his economy was good for Hispanic people and saw gains in income and decreases in poverty. But he returned again to the theme of the southern border, despite the fact that some in the audience were immigrants from Mexico or other Latin American nations.
"People are pouring in and taking your jobs," Trump said. "And your jobs are being taken, and that's all because of Kamala [Harris] and [Joe] Biden. ... We have the worst border in the history of the world. There's never been a border in the history of the world like this."
Before the rally, Las Vegan Ashley Venner said Trump's stance on immigration was better than Harris's approach.
"I think that Hispanic voters should definitely vote for President Trump because there has been plenty of Hispanic people who have come into our country legally," she said. "And I think for Kamala Harris to completely open the border to people who do not have to come in legally is a complete spit in their face."
Republican activist George Harris said outside the roundtable that Trump's rhetoric on immigration won't affect his standing with the Hispanic community.
"It's not going to be a factor, but Donald's Donald and everybody knows Donald," Harris said. "Donald's vernacular, even sometimes it concerns me. But I know the guy and the guy is very sincere. And the guy doesn't need to do this, he's got all the money in the world, he doesn't need this gig. And the honest facts about him is he is here to help America."
During the roundtable, moderated by former Texas U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, Trump heard from six Hispanic residents, many of whom told the former president of their struggles in the current economy. One, Elias Trujillo, even told Trump that he came to the United States with his parents, who overstayed their visa to build a new life in this country. He went on to own a food truck and later a restaurant.
Trump said he'd increased his support in the Hispanic community and urged attendees to vote.
"I think we're going to have an election like no other," Trump said. "I think this is going to be the biggest and most important election in the history of our country. And a big beneficiary will be the people in this room."
In response to the Trump rally, Nevada State Democratic Party Chairwoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno criticized Trump and tried to tie him to Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation agenda for a conservative presidential administration that Trump has tried to distance himself from.
“In the last week, Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz have both visited Nevada, talking to voters on the ground and sharing their plan for a New Way Forward that would expand fundamental rights, lower costs for hardworking families, and keep our communities safe — real kitchen table issues that resonate with Nevada’s working families," the statement reads. "In contrast, Donald Trump, [Nevada U.S. Senate candidate] Sam Brown, and their extreme Project 2025 agenda would ban abortion nationwide, allow employers to not pay workers overtime, cut Social Security benefits by raising the retirement age, and raise costs on Nevada families.
“As president, Trump promised to deliver for hardworking Nevadans, and instead, he gifted tax breaks to billionaires on the backs of the middle class. Nevada’s working families cannot trust him and quite literally cannot afford another four years of Donald Trump. We’re not going back.”