Biden campaign criticizes Trump’s Time interview, emphasizes need for progress

In a scathing response to former President Trump’s recent interview with Time Magazine, Biden 2024 campaign Co-chair Rep. Verónica Escobar (D-Texas) condemned his immigration comments as “troubling and dangerous rhetoric.” Trump, in the interview, reiterated false claims about immigrants and pledged mass deportations if he were to return to power.

Escobar criticized Trump’s plan to use local law enforcement and the National Guard to enforce immigration laws, citing his praise for former President Eisenhower’s controversial “Operation Wetback.” Trump also hinted at using the military to deal with undocumented immigrants, referring to them as “not civilians” and using divisive language like “invasion” and “fighting age.”

The congresswoman highlighted the 2019 El Paso shooting, where a gunman inspired by anti-immigrant sentiment killed 23 people, as a consequence of Trump’s xenophobic rhetoric. Escobar emphasized the need to move forward and not revert to policies that target vulnerable populations.

Trump’s remarks on the need for detention camps and repatriation of immigrants were also scrutinized, with Time Magazine providing a fact-check of his statements. Escobar called for reelecting President Biden and Vice President Harris to address border issues with compassion and practical solutions.

Biden’s team also criticized Trump’s stance on abortion, where he suggested leaving it up to states to monitor pregnancies and prosecute women for having abortions. The interview underscores the sharp divide between the two administrations on immigration and reproductive rights issues.