Trump press conference: President announces 'violence' from caravan will be met with radical military response
Remarks come as caravan of refugees and migrants makes its way slowly to the US-Mexico border
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Donald Trump has suggested stone-throwing migrants making it to the US-Mexico border might be shot by the US military, as he unveiled a proposal to limit the right to apply for asylum.
In a speech at the White House filled with several falsehoods, the president said he was seeking to limit asylum claims only to those who applied at legal entry points. He claimed the move was necessary because a series of migrant caravans – still up to a 1,000 miles from the border – was considered by some people to be “an invasion”.
“Asylum is not a programme for those living in poverty. There are billions of people in the world living at the poverty level. The United States cannot possibly absorb them all,” he said.
Mr Trump has ramped up his tough stance on illegal immigration, an issue that appeals to his core supporters, before crucial midterm elections on Tuesday that will decide if his Republican Party keep control of Congress.
“Asylum is a very specific protection based on those fleeing persecution.”
The migrants making their way northwards have come largely from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, all of which suffer from poverty and high levels of violence.
He said some had thrown stones at, and attacked Mexican police and troops – a reference to clashes between Mexican security forces and up to 1,500 migrants at the Guatemala-Mexico border, that left one migrant dead. Meanwhile, even as the number of migrants attached to the original caravan continues to dwindle, a third group of around 500 migrants from El Salvador entered Guatemala last weekend.
“I hope there won’t be that. But I will tell you this, anybody throwing stones, rocks like they did to Mexico … Where they badly hurt police and soldiers of Mexico – we will consider that a firearm,” the president said.
“Because there’s not much difference when you get hit in the face with a rock.”
If you want to see how the press conference unfolded please see our live coverage below
Please allow a second for the live blog to load
The president calls it a "perilous situation" and talks about the economic successes under his leadership - that will make the situation worse.
He calls the three caravans heading towards the US border an "invasion" - again.
"Some people call it an invasion, it is an invasion"
He dehumanises the caravan, says it "violently overrun" the Mexico border - which is just not true.
Mr Trump says that Mexico police have been injured, meaning people are violent.
In truth any injuries were a tiny part of the caravan moving into Mexico.
Mr Trump says those in the caravan are not seeking "protection" as Mexico has said it will take those seeking asylum in.
He offers no evidence that many fleeing violence in Central America would not be seeking asylum.
Mr Trump says he will "catch" those that come across illegal and will not be released before any deportation trials.
He is referring to the "catch and release" practice of letting people turn up to trials at a later date.
Mr Trump claims that record-keeping on illegal immigration has not been great and says that there could be millions of people in the US illegally.
He calls the caravans "professional" and "organised"
He claims that a deportation case takes three and a half years - he calls them a "laughing-stock" around the world.
"All told there are approximately 1m aliens that have been issued 'final orders of removal'," Mr Trump claims.
He says it makes a "mockery" of the system.
I have not had a chance to fact-check that number.
Mr Trump calls it "a giant flow of illegal migration" to the southern border. An example of the type of exaggeration that Mr Trump is known for.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments