Texas Weekly Online

Texas-trans-white
Menu
Menu

Author:

Trump’s hardline immigration policies in spotlight on day two of RNC

Trump’s hardline immigration policies in spotlight on day two of RNC

Republicans rally around former president’s agenda at National Convention in Milwaukee, days after rally shooting. Donald Trump’s hardline stance on immigration will be in the spotlight on the second day of the Republican National Convention (RNC), after the former United States president made his first public appearance since surviving an assassination attempt at the weekend. Republicans are expected to hit out at their Democratic rivals on Tuesday at the RNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the day’s theme is “Make America Safe Once Again”. The GOP has rallied around the ex-president’s tough-on-immigration policies, which have been a central part of Trump’s political brand as well as his 2024 election campaign. Republicans also have used immigration – one of the top issues of concern for American voters – to criticise US President Joe Biden before November’s election, which is set to be a close race between Biden and Trump. They have accused the Democratic president of not doing enough to stem the flow of asylum seekers crossing the country’s southern border with Mexico, and the GOP’s platform pledges to seal the border and “carry out the largest deportation operation in American history”. In an interview with FOX News on Monday, JD Vance – who was selected hours earlier as Trump’s running mate – said “we have to deport” undocumented immigrants in the US. “We have to deport people who broke our laws, who came in here. And I think we start with the violent criminals,” Vance said. Republicans also have sought to tie immigration to crime, promising in their party platform that they will stop an alleged “migrant crime epidemic”. “Once iconic American cities and communities have become hollowed out, dystopian nightmares thanks to Joe Biden and Democrats’ ‘woke’ soft-on-crime and open border policies,” the Republican National Committee said as it unveiled the convention programme last week. Violent crime has been falling across the US in recent years, however. Research at Stanford University in California last year also showed that “immigrants are 30 percent less likely to be incarcerated than are US-born individuals who are white”. “From Henry Cabot Lodge in the late 19th century to Donald Trump, anti-immigration politicians have repeatedly tried to link immigrants to crime, but our research confirms that this is a myth and not based on fact,” said Ran Abramitzky, a Stanford professor and the study author. Migration rights advocates have also slammed the GOP for advancing “anti-immigrant rhetoric”. Still, Trump and Republicans are hoping their hardline policies will appeal to voters as November’s presidential election nears. Reporting from the RNC in Milwaukee, Al Jazeera’s Patty Culhane said it remains unclear who will be speaking on Tuesday evening at the event. Members of Trump’s family as well as US business leaders, minor celebrities and Republican lawmakers are expected to address the crowd over the course of the four-day event, Culhane said. Trump, who was formally confirmed as the Republican presidential nominee on Monday and received a hero’s welcome on the floor of the RNC, will deliver a speech on the convention’s closing night on Thursday. Meanwhile, Biden continues to field questions about the viability of his re-election campaign after several Democrats called on him to drop out of the race in the aftermath of a confused and concerning debate performance last month. Speaking to NBC News on Monday evening, the US president reiterated that he intends to stay on to challenge Trump in November. Adblock test (Why?)

Taala: Leather craft in Mali

Taala: Leather craft in Mali

Artist Ousmane Sarre learns the traditionally female-crafted Taala leatherwork to connect to his own art. Taala is a centuries-old form of patterned leather craft, usually created by women only across parts of Africa. But artist Ousmane Sarre wants to learn this trade himself to incorporate its originality into his own art. He returns to his village in Nioro du Sahel, Mali, and meticulously learns each step of the process from his grandmother and aunts in this authored film. Ousmane Sarre is a young artist and filmmaker from a family of traditional blacksmiths in Mali. Between painting and cinema, he develops his art with a special touch, expressing a philosophical dimension of traditional art. Adblock test (Why?)

Democrats ‘lose’ if Biden stays in race, Rep Schiff tells donors

Democrats ‘lose’ if Biden stays in race, Rep Schiff tells donors

Top House Democrat and fierce former President Trump critic Rep. Adam Schiff has privately told Democrat donors that he thinks that his party could suffer substantial losses in November if President Biden remains at the top of the ticket, according to a report from The New York Times.  Schiff, the former chair of the House Intelligence Committee who is now running for a Senate seat in California, reportedly made the comment Saturday at a fundraiser in East Hampton, New York, just hours before the assassination attempt against former President Trump.  “I think if he is our nominee, I think we lose,” the newspaper quoted Schiff as saying, citing a person with access to a transcription of a recording of the fundraiser. “And we may very, very well lose the Senate and lose our chance to take back the House.”  Schiff, when asked by Fox News about the report, declined to comment.  REP. SCHIFF EXPRESSES DOUBTS AS TO WHETHER BIDEN CAN BEAT TRUMP: ‘DEBATE RIGHTFULLY RAISED QUESTIONS’  The New York Times also reported, citing two people with direct knowledge of Schiff’s remarks, that Schiff said Biden and his campaign staff have been generally unwilling to listen to the views of outside pollsters and political experts and that they should do so.   One donor who attended the event told the newspaper that he left feeling dejected and that donors should now focus on supporting downballot candidates under the belief that Biden’s chances of winning are slim.  HOUSE DEMOCRATS CIRCULATE LETTER TO DELAY BIDEN NOMINATION UNTIL CONVENTION: REPORT  Biden has faced pressure to drop out of the presidential race following his widely panned June 27 debate performance, but those calls have subsided after Trump was shot this past weekend.  Earlier this month, Schiff admitted publicly to having doubts that Biden could beat Trump in a head-to-head race.  Schiff told NBC News that Biden’s age is the major factor weighing down the presidential race and that he should really consider whether running is the best choice.  “But the performance on the debate stage I think rightfully raised questions among the American people about whether the president has the vigor to defeat Donald Trump,” Schiff said at the time.  Fox News’ Julia Johnson and Gabriel Hays contributed to this report. 

Vivek Ramaswamy floated as possible Senate replacement for JD Vance in Ohio

Vivek Ramaswamy floated as possible Senate replacement for JD Vance in Ohio

After former President Trump revealed his choice of Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, for his running mate in the November election, speculation quickly began over who might take Vance’s place in the Senate.  Vance was elected to the Senate in 2022 and isn’t up for re-election until 2028. However, if he and Trump win, and he takes the role of vice president, Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, will be charged with appointing a replacement.  KAMALA HARRIS CONGRATULATES JD VANCE, HOPES ‘THAT THE TWO CAN MEET’ AT VP DEBATE “Who else wants JD Vance’s Senate seat to be filled by @VivekGRamaswamy?” asked Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, in a post on X.  Vivek Ramaswamy, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump in the primary race, is a resident of Ohio.  WHAT TRUMP-VANCE TICKET MEANS FOR MITCH MCCONNELL’S UKRAINE AID CRUSADE In a statement provided by a spokesperson, Ramaswamy said, “I have rock-solid conviction that JD will be an outstanding VP for President Trump.” TRUMP PICKS JD VANCE AS RUNNING MATE AS HE BECOMES GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE “The only negative is this leaves our side missing one of our best fighters in the Senate. If asked to serve, I would strongly consider the position and would discuss with President Trump which path makes the most sense for our country,” he continued.  However, getting DeWine to appoint Ramaswamy could prove difficult, as he is a more moderate Republican governor to Ramswamy’s “America-First” brand of conservatism.  TRUMP CELEBRATES ‘MIRACLE’ SURVIVAL, EXPLAINS WHY HE ASKED ABOUT HIS SHOES DeWine’s office did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.  In an interview with Fox News Digital on Monday, Ramaswamy applauded the choice of Vance as Trump’s running mate.  “I think he’s going to attract a lot of people who are hungry for economic mobility in the country, and I think he’s even going to attract a lot of people who aren’t traditional Republicans,” he said. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

What to know about JD Vance: From bestselling author to Trump’s VP pick

What to know about JD Vance: From bestselling author to Trump’s VP pick

Former President Trump announced his long-awaited selection for vice presidential nominee on Monday during the kickoff of the Republican National Convention, revealing frontrunner Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, as his pick.  “Just overwhelmed with gratitude. What an honor it is to run alongside President Donald J. Trump,” Vance wrote on X shortly after midnight. “He delivered peace and prosperity once, and with your help, he’ll do it again. Onward to victory!” Here is what to know about the Republican nominee for vice president. KAMALA HARRIS CONGRATULATES JD VANCE, HOPES ‘THAT THE TWO CAN MEET’ AT VP DEBATE While Vance is one of Trump’s most loyal allies now, he was not always so fond of him. Ahead of the 2016 presidential election, he wrote in a text message to his former roommate, explaining that he goes “back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical a–hole like Nixon who wouldn’t be that bad (and might even prove useful) or that he’s America’s Hitler.” He once claimed that Trump is “cultural heroin,” writing in an essay, “He never offers details for how these plans will work, because he can’t. Trump’s promises are the needle in America’s collective vein.” However, Vance has since had a change of heart. He described his transformation on Fox News, remarking, “I was certainly skeptical of Donald Trump in 2016, but President Trump was a great president, and he changed my mind.” WHAT TRUMP-VANCE TICKET MEANS FOR MITCH MCCONNELL’S UKRAINE AID CRUSADE In 2016, Vance published his memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” which quickly became a best-selling book. “Hillbilly Elegy” details his less than glamorous childhood, being raised by his mother and grandmother in Kentucky and Ohio, and the toll addiction takes on families. The story takes readers through the struggles of poverty in rural and Appalachian America.  A movie was ultimately made about the book, which was distributed by Netflix in 2020. Glenn Close received a nod for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role at the Academy Awards for her portrayal of Vance’s grandmother.  “I may be White, but I do not identify with the WASPs of the Northeast. Instead, I identify with the millions of working-class White Americans of Scots-Irish descent who have no college degree,” Vance said in a 2016 interview about his memoir.  “To these folks, poverty’s the family tradition. Their ancestors were day laborers in the southern slave economy, sharecroppers after that, coal miners after that, and machinists and mill workers during more recent times. Americans call them hillbillies, rednecks or White trash. I call them neighbors, friends and family,” he said. TRUMP PICK JD VANCE CELEBRATED BY GOP: ‘OPPONENT OF ENDLESS WARS’ Years before being elected, a young Vance enlisted in the Marines and served in Iraq. In the public affairs section of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, he served as a corporal.  Vance was elected to the Senate in 2022, defeating his opponent, former Rep. Tim Ryan by more than 200,000 votes. He took office in 2023 and has been serving in the upper chamber since.  During the campaign, he racked up the endorsement of former President Trump, despite his past remarks about him. He touted Trump’s support, which is widely credited with giving Vance an advantage in the Ohio Republican Senate primary.  TRUMP PICKS JD VANCE AS RUNNING MATE AS HE BECOMES GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE In the Senate, Vance has established a reputation for being particularly skeptical of foreign aid, specifically to Ukraine, which has been embroiled in a war with Russia for over two years. He voted against the $95 billion foreign aid supplemental to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific along with several of his Republican colleagues. He has also introduced legislation to provide better oversight of aid to Ukraine.  Ahead of the vote on additional foreign aid this year, Vance remarked, “I served my country honorably, and I saw when I went to Iraq that I had been lied to — that the promises of the foreign policy establishment were a complete joke.” After leaving Yale Law School, Vance became a junior investor with Mithril Capital, an investment firm owned by GOP megadonor Peter Thiel, according to Business Insider. He spent two years at the firm before leaving and joining a different firm, Revolution, which was co-founded by Steve Case, who formerly chaired AOL.  Vance went on to start his own venture capital firm called Narya Capital, which was based out of his home state of Ohio. Thiel was one of the major financial backers who assisted Vance with raising the $93 million he used to start the firm.  Thiel was a significant supporter of Vance’s foray into politics, breaking records when he gave $15 million in total to a PAC supporting the Republican’s candidacy for U.S. Senate.  Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

House Democrats circulate letter to delay Biden nomination until convention: report

House Democrats circulate letter to delay Biden nomination until convention: report

A group of Democratic lawmakers is allegedly pushing for their party to delay the planned nomination of President Biden due to concerns the process is being rushed. Rep. Jared Huffman, a Democrat from California, has written a letter requesting a delay in the party’s nomination until the party’s convention in August, according to the New York Times. The letter is reportedly being circulated to other Democratic lawmakers, expressing serious concerns about plans to hold a virtual roll call as early as July 21. DEMOCRAT PUSH TO REPLACE BIDEN IS ‘OVER’ AFTER TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, PRESIDENT’S ALLIES SAY: REPORT Huffman declined to comment on the letter for the New York Times, but sharply criticized the party’s plans to confirm Biden before the Democratic National Convention. “To try to squelch debate and jam this through is a power play of the highest order,” Mr. Huffman told the outlet. “That kind of heavy-handed move is not going to go over well with a lot of people.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Huffman’s office for comment. DEMOCRATS’ NOMINATION OF BIDEN IN VIRTUAL ROLL CALL COULD COME AS EARLY AS MID-JULY Democrats will officially choose their nominee at the convention, though the Democratic National Committee is considering formally nominating President Biden as early as mid-July, two Democratic sources previously confirmed to Fox News. A potential date for Biden’s nomination is July 21, which is when the Democratic National Convention’s credentials committee meets virtually. As has been reported for weeks, Democratic Party officials decided that the formal roll call would not take place at their convention, which kicks off on August 19th in Chicago.  A total of 1,976 delegates are needed to clinch the Democratic nomination for president. Biden has won roughly 3,900 this year. Those delegates have “pledged” to support Biden’s candidacy, according to DNC rules. Although Biden has not indicated that he plans to withdraw from the race, if he were to do so, his delegates would no longer be pledged to him.  His withdrawal would lead to an open convention, resulting in Democrats being able to make suggestions for potential nominees and cast votes until one candidate receives a majority of delegate votes. Fox News Digital’s Kyle Morris and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Immigration hawks delighted at Trump pick JD Vance: ‘One hell of a co-pilot’

Immigration hawks delighted at Trump pick JD Vance: ‘One hell of a co-pilot’

Immigration hawks reacted with delight after former President Trump announced the selection of Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, as his running mate, pointing to his record of staunch opposition to illegal immigration and his votes in favor of additional border security. “President Trump was first elected to secure our border and enforce our immigration laws after decades of neglect in Washington — and he delivered on his promises,” RJ Hauman, president of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement, told Fox News Digital. “By choosing a fierce immigration reformer like Senator Vance as his running mate, President Trump has reaffirmed to the American people that our borders must be secured and immigration laws aggressively enforced.” “The largest deportation effort in American history now has one hell of a co-pilot,” he said. TRUMP ANNOUNCES OHIO SEN. JD VANCE AS HIS 2024 RUNNING MATE Trump announced the Vance pick earlier Monday, saying he has fought “so brilliantly” for workers and farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Minnesota. On Tuesday, the theme for the convention will be “Make America Safe Once Again,” when border security and illegal immigrant crime are likely to be hot topics, given the ongoing crisis at the southern border and the massive impact it is having on the presidential race.  The Ohio senator has top ratings for his votes and positions on immigration from hawkish groups that call for lower levels of immigration. Heritage Action has given him a 93% rating on the issue. “With a 93% on the Heritage Action scorecard, Senator JD Vance has proven to be a committed conservative fighter in the Senate. He wants to secure the border, enforce the rule of law, and protect American workers,” Ryan Walker, Executive Vice President at Heritage Action, said. “With his proven record, impressive resume, and unique background, Senator Vance will help President Trump return to the White House and secure our borders once and for all.” As senator, Vance currently has an “A” grade from NumbersUSA. The group pointed to his co-sponsorship of the Senate version of the House GOP border bill known as H.R. 2, as well as his votes against the recent bipartisan Senate package backed by the Biden administration.  CRUZ VOWS TO MAKE ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION PUSH AT GOP CONVENTION AFTER CHILD MURDERED: ‘SPEAKING FOR JOCELYN’  It has also noted his votes for bills to mandate the employment authorization system E-Verify, criminalize visa overstays, limit the use of humanitarian parole, and his efforts to increase the credible fear standard for asylum seekers. Other immigration hawks pointed to bills he has supported to reshape Alternatives to Detention and that would require all illegal immigrants on the non-detained docket to be put on GPS tracking.  “Senator Vance has distinguished himself in his ability to clearly articulate the dysfunction inherent in our legal immigration system, especially the harm caused to American workers through lowered wages and lost jobs, as well as understanding how the high level of immigration leads to higher housing costs,” Numbers USA CEO James Massa said. “Senator Vance understands that immigration policy must no longer be determined by special interests in Washington, D.C., or big business seeking cheap labor at the expense of American workers, but instead designed in the interest of the American people at large.” CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING FROM THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION U.S. Tech Workers, a group which opposes the H-1B visa program, which critics have said is used by tech companies to replace American workers with cheap foreign labor, noted Vance’s prior criticism of the H-1B program. “Here’s hoping this unity ticket finally sees H-1B visa reform come to fruition,” the account said. Mark Krikorian, executive director at the Center for Immigration Studies, said that Vance “has the chance to help the GOP move beyond mere rhetoric and make it a genuinely pro-worker party.” Speaking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Monday evening, Vance highlighted Trump’s promise to launch a mass deportation operation if elected in November. “We have to deport people, we have to deport people who broke our laws who came in here and I think we start with the violent criminals. President Trump has been very, very effective at communicating on this to the point where now a majority of Americans believe that we need to deport a large number of people who have come here illegally,” he said.