October 12th 2024.
At a large rally in Aurora, former President Donald Trump addressed a crowd of thousands, painting a dire picture of the challenges that the city faces due to immigration. He exaggerated the problems acknowledged by city officials and cited isolated incidents in other parts of the country to support his claims of widespread lawlessness caused by undocumented immigrants.
In a passionate speech that lasted over an hour, Trump promised harsh solutions to this perceived crisis. He proposed using the death penalty for any migrant who kills an American citizen and even mentioned reviving a 200-year-old law that was used to create Japanese internment camps during World War II.
With cheers from the crowd, Trump declared, "We will send elite squads of ICE, border patrol, and federal enforcement officers to hunt down, arrest, and deport every last illegal alien gang member until there is not a single one left." He emphasized that this would include the use of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, to carry out these actions.
The rally took place at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center, located just 15 minutes from Denver's airport on the northern edge of Aurora. Trump's decision to hold the rally in this particular location, which was about 12 miles away from the apartment complexes that sparked controversy and drew national attention, was strategic.
Throughout his speech, Trump focused heavily on the issue of illegal immigration. The screens behind him displayed mugshots of Venezuelan gang members arrested in Aurora, while news montages describing crimes allegedly committed by migrants in various parts of the country played on repeat.
As a presidential candidate, Trump promised to launch "Operation Aurora" if elected. This operation would involve invoking the Alien Enemies Act, a law from 1798 that allows the president to deport non-citizens from countries that the U.S. is at war with. He stated that this law would be used to expedite the removal of "savage gangs" and referenced its previous use in establishing internment camps for Japanese-Americans during World War II, such as the Granada Relocation Center in southeastern Colorado.
During his speech, the crowd chanted "Deport them!" and "Send them back!" while holding signs that read "Secure our border." Immigration has become a key issue for Republicans during this election cycle, as they criticize the record of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee. This was evident in the speeches given by Colorado congressional candidates Gabe Evans and Jeff Crank, as well as U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, who also spoke at the rally.
Trump's visit to Aurora, the first public campaign event by a major presidential candidate in Colorado during this cycle, was the culmination of his repeated exaggerations about the gang and migrant situation in the city of 400,000 people.
Before and after the rally, local officials and Democrats pushed back strongly against Trump's characterization of Aurora. Republican Mayor Mike Coffman stated, "I cannot stress enough that nothing said today has not been said before and the city has responded with facts. The reality is that concerns about Venezuelan gang activity in our city and state have been grossly exaggerated, unfairly damaging the city's identity and sense of safety." City officials have clarified that while the transnational Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, has had a significant impact on certain neglected apartment buildings in Aurora, their presence in the city is limited and the majority of their identified members have been arrested.
During his speech, Trump falsely claimed that the city had been "conquered" by these gangs. However, tenants of the affected buildings, as well as inspection reports and lawsuits, have pointed to neglect by the property owners as the root cause of the issues. Mold, rodents, lack of heat, and other structural problems have plagued these buildings for years and have been the subject of numerous complaints.
In the afternoon, a group of tenants from one of these complexes gathered with advocates to denounce Trump's rhetoric. State Representative Tim Hernández, a Democrat, stated, "They are villainizing folks because they dared to seek a better life for their families." Four hours before Trump took the stage, Democratic Governor Jared Polis and four members of Colorado's congressional delegation held a press conference at an Aurora brewery to challenge his claims about immigration and criticize his decision to visit the city and "demonize immigrants for his own political gain."
Trump also touched on other familiar topics during his speech, such as his criticism of the media and his feud with Governor Polis. He even suggested that Colorado, a traditionally blue state, could turn red in the upcoming election. However, recent polls show that his opponent, Harris, has a significant lead over him in the state.
In the end, Trump's rally in Aurora served as a platform for his strong views on immigration and other issues. While his supporters cheered him on, many local officials and Democrats continued to challenge his claims and defend the city's reputation and safety.
As he stood in front of a massive crowd in a grand Aurora ballroom, former President Donald Trump delivered a passionate speech on Friday, addressing the pressing issue of migrants and their impact on the city. With a dramatic flair, he painted a grim picture of the situation, describing it as almost apocalyptic.
Trump's proposed solutions to what he deemed as rampant lawlessness caused by undocumented immigrants were equally bold. He highlighted the "limited" problems acknowledged by Aurora city officials and used isolated incidents from other parts of the country to amplify his message. He promised to take extreme measures, such as implementing the death penalty for any migrant who harms an American citizen, and reviving a 200-year-old law that was previously used to create Japanese internment camps.
Amidst cheers from the crowd, Trump declared, "We will deploy elite squads of ICE, border patrol, and federal enforcement officers to track down, arrest, and deport every single illegal alien gang member until there is not a single one left." He invoked the authority of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to support his claims.
The former president spoke for over an hour at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center, just a short distance from Denver's airport on the northern edge of Aurora. The rally was held around 12 miles away from the rundown apartment complexes that sparked a national controversy and drew Trump's attention to Colorado.
A major part of his speech revolved around the issue of illegal immigration. As he stood behind the podium, flanked by mugshots of Venezuelan gang members arrested in Aurora, large screens behind him played news montages highlighting crimes allegedly committed by migrants across America. In his speech, Trump also mentioned his plans to launch "Operation Aurora" as president, using the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 law that allows the deportation of non-citizens from a country that the U.S. is at war with. He promised to use this law to expedite the removal of violent gang members, drawing a parallel to its previous use in World War II to establish internment camps for Japanese-Americans.
The crowd, numbering in the thousands, passionately chanted "Deport them!" and "Send them back!" while waving signs that read "Secure our border."
Immigration has become a key issue for Republicans in the current political climate, with many criticizing President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for their stance on the matter. This sentiment was echoed by Colorado congressional candidates Gabe Evans and Jeff Crank, who also spoke at the rally, along with U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert.
Trump's visit to Aurora marked the first public campaign event in Colorado by a major presidential candidate this year, and it was the culmination of his repeated exaggerations about the presence of gangs and migrants in the city of 400,000 people.
Before and after the rally, some local officials and Democrats strongly opposed Trump's portrayal of Aurora. Mayor Mike Coffman, who is also a Republican, released a statement saying, "I cannot stress enough that there was nothing said today that has not been said before. The city has already responded with the facts. The reality is that the concerns about Venezuelan gang activity in our city, and our state, have been greatly exaggerated. This has unfairly damaged the city's identity and sense of safety. Aurora and the state have not been 'taken over,' 'invaded,' or 'occupied' by migrant gangs."
City officials have acknowledged the presence of a transnational Venezuelan gang called "Tren de Aragua" that has significantly affected several neglected apartment buildings in Aurora. However, they have also clarified that the gang's presence in the city is limited, and at least nine out of ten identified members have been arrested.
During his speech, Trump falsely claimed that the city had been "conquered." However, tenants of the affected apartment buildings, along with years of inspection reports and lawsuits, have pointed to neglect by the property owners as the root cause of the issues. The buildings were infested with mold and rodents, lacked proper heat, and had faulty infrastructure. In the afternoon, tenants of one of these complexes gathered with advocates to speak out against Trump's rhetoric. State Representative Tim Hernández, a Democrat, criticized Trump and others for "demonizing" all migrants, saying, "They are vilifying these people because they dared to seek a better life for their families."
Four hours before Trump's rally, Governor Jared Polis and four Democratic members of Colorado's congressional delegation gathered at an Aurora brewery to push back against Trump's claims about migrants and to criticize him for using the city for his political gain. Senator Michael Bennett stated, "Donald Trump invited himself here to tell lies, twist and distort the truth for his own agenda. We will not stand for it." Congresswoman Jason Crow, who represents Aurora, added, "We will not tolerate these lies and distortions."
Along with immigration, Trump also touched on other familiar topics, such as pulling the broadcasting license from CBS and showing a clip comparing footage from the movie "Full Metal Jacket" to social media videos of military personnel dressed in drag. He also repeatedly criticized Governor Polis, falsely blaming him for a lawsuit that sought to disqualify Trump from the state's ballot due to his involvement in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. However, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the ruling, stating that it was a federal matter, not a state one.
Trump ended his speech by suggesting that Colorado, a traditionally blue state that voted for Biden by a significant margin, could turn red in the upcoming elections. He exclaimed, "I truly believe that Colorado is within our reach. We are very close." However, recent public polls show Biden's running mate, Harris, with a double-digit lead over Trump in the state.
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