USA Trump incites against Harris and migrants at the US southern border

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump blames his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris for the crimes of individual migrants and portrays immigrants as dangerous criminals.

During an appearance at the US southern border with Mexico, Trump also blamed the vice president for the many illegal border crossings.

"Every day there is a new story about innocent Americans being tortured, raped, murdered and massacred by illegal immigrants that Kamala Harris released into our country," Trump claimed in the state of Arizona.

During the event, relatives of victims also spoke, giving moving accounts of relatives who had been killed and calling for stronger border security. Trump himself accused Harris of wanting to "keep the US open to criminals from all over the world" so that "they can come here and rape and pillage".

No evidence of a crime wave

It is true that some areas in the USA, where many migrants live, are experiencing an increase in crime. However, experts attribute this to complex socio-political circumstances. There is no evidence of a crime wave caused by migrants, nor that this group commits significantly more crimes than natives. According to surveys, the opposite is actually the case.

Trump repeatedly blames Harris for what he sees as the failed migration policy of US President Joe Biden's administration. Biden had once assigned his vice president the task of "combating the causes of flight". "She loved the title, but she didn't want to do the job because she's lazy," said Trump in Arizona.

Controversial election issue

The reform of migration legislation is one of the main issues in the election campaign. The situation at the border remains tense and authorities are overloaded in many places. Biden recently tightened the asylum rules for migrants entering illegally from Mexico. The number of unauthorized border crossings has fallen - albeit from a record level.

Many people fleeing poverty, violence and political crises in their home countries choose to cross the southern border. Many come from South American countries. Every year, hundreds die on the dangerous route to the north, for example from lack of water and heatstroke. Others become victims of criminal gangs.