AURORA, Oct 12: Donald Trump portrayed migrants as dangerous criminals during a rally in Aurora, Colorado, on Friday, calling for the death penalty for migrants who kill US citizens as he escalates the anti-immigration rhetoric that has fuelled his presidential run.
Flanked by posters of alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, Trump also said that if elected he would launch a national "Operation Aurora" to target the gang members.
Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, has noticeably hardened his anti-immigration rhetoric in the final weeks of the Nov 5 election campaign, where he aims to defeat Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Illegal immigration is a top voter concern, and Trump is seen by most voters as the person best able to address it, opinion polls show.
"I'm hereby calling for the death penalty for any migrant that kills an American citizen or a law enforcement officer," Trump said to loud cheers from a large crowd of supporters.
Trump has already proposed an expansion of the death penalty for other offenders, including people convicted of sex trafficking women and children.
Nearly half of US states ban the death penalty. While there is a federal death penalty, it is rarely used, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, a non-profit group. An expansion of eligible crimes would require an act of the US Congress.
One of the hallmarks of Trump's third presidential run has been his focus on what he calls "migrant crime", even though academic studies show immigrants do not commit crimes at a higher rate than native-born Americans.
The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment related to the death penalty proposal.
Vice President Harris toughened her stance on border security after becoming the Democratic nominee in August, and faults Trump for helping stifle a bipartisan border security bill in Congress earlier this year.
During a Sept 10 presidential debate with Harris, Trump claimed that members of Tren de Aragua controlled several dilapidated Aurora apartment complexes - allegations refuted by top city officials.
At the rally on Friday, he reiterated a pledge to focus enforcement on Aurora if re-elected.
"I will rescue Aurora and every town that has been invaded and conquered," Trump said. "We will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail or kick them out of our country."
Despite Trump's dramatic statements aimed at rousing his base, no town in America has been taken over by migrants.
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman, a Republican, said in a statement ahead of the rally that "concerns about Venezuelan gang activity have been grossly exaggerated" and welcomed Trump to tour the city. —REUTERS
