AUSTIN—With less than two weeks until Election Day, former President Donald Trump made a stop in the Lone Star State to talk about the border crisis.
The press conference was set up in short order at the Austin airport as Trump flew in to record a podcast interview with Joe Rogan later in the day.
Even before Trump took the stage, pictures adorned the front of the room depicting illegal aliens who had committed violent crimes in Texas, a result of the Biden-Harris administration’s open border policies.
Banners flanking each side of the stage read “Deport Illegals Now” and “End Migrant Crime,” setting the tone for the speech.
“Under Kamala Harris, Texas has become ground zero for the border crisis,” said Trump, highlighting the millions of illegal aliens that have poured across the southern border since 2021. The majority of those illegal crossings took place in Texas, which shares the largest land border with Mexico.
“I say 21 million, some say it’s more than that. And when you add in the gotaways…who knows,” said Trump. He also mentioned the 325,000 children that are missing after crossing the border unaccompanied.
“If that were a Republican it would be the biggest scandal in history.”
Alexis Nungaray, the mother of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray who was slain by illegal aliens in Houston, was also in attendance. She said Harris never reached out to her following her daughter’s murder.
“We will never forget Jocelyn,” said Trump. “We’ve all seen the pictures, and it’s emblazoned in our minds.”
He was also joined by members of the National Border Patrol Council, which has endorsed Trump’s candidacy. Trump reiterated his promise for the “largest mass deportation” in history.
“We will have the death penalty for any illegal migrant who kills an American citizen or law enforcement officer,” promised Trump.
While the remarks were focused on the border crisis, Trump weaved in other hot issues including election security.
On the topic of the election, which is just a week and a half away, Trump was positive.
“I’m not supposed to say it, but we are winning by a lot,” Trump said to applause and chants of “fight” from the crowd, a callback to the assassination attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania in July.
Other officials in attendance included Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, Attorney General Ken Paxton, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, and Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham.
Vice President Kamala Harris was also in Texas, hosting a rally in Houston later in the evening alongside Democrat U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, who is challenging Cruz for his Senate seat. Trump took aim at her for coming to fundraise but not to meet with any victims of migrant crime.
Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said Trump hosting a press conference in Texas was “brilliant”.
“It’s aired all across the United States. It’ll be in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada. The podcast with Joe Rogan is also [a] brilliant move—14 and a half million people—largest podcast in the United States. They’re not all Texans.”
Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham agreed.
“We’re always excited to see President Trump visiting Texas right before the election. And our message to all of Texas is that simple question, were you better off four years ago than you are today? And that answer is absolutely yes,” she told Texas Scorecard.
With early voting numbers already high across the state, Republican Party of Texas Chairman Abraham George said he’s optimistic for Election Day.
“I think nationwide we’re going to be winning. But Texas is definitely staying red this time.”
