Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
UPI News
RNC opens Day 2 as focus shifts to immigration, crime and even Babydog
By Sheri Walsh,
5 hours ago
July 16 (UPI) -- The Republican National Convention opened its second day in Milwaukee on Tuesday as the focus turned to immigration , crime and a long list of notable speakers.
West Virginia and Congressional candidate Gov. Jim Justice speaks as his English bulldog "Babydog" looks on at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Justice praised former President Donald Trump with his well-known pup by his side. According to a report by CNN, Justice said Babydog predicts Republicans will retain the House majority and flip the Senate and “overwhelmingly" elect Donald Trump as president. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI
Immigration and border security, which top Trump's agenda as he blames undocumented migrants for a surge in crime and fentanyl deaths in the United States, will be headlined Tuesday as families impacted by violent crime give speeches. The speeches will come just hours after a man swinging knives near police earlier Tuesday was shot dead outside of Fiserv Forum, where the convention is being held.
Among Tuesday's notable speakers are former Trump rival Nikki Haley , who was added to the agenda on Sunday after the assassination attempt on Trump. She is scheduled to speak shortly after 8 p.m. CT. Last week, the former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina governor was not planning to attend the convention as she released her 97 delegates and urged them to vote for Trump.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , who was one of Trump's top contenders for vice president, will close out Day 2 of the Republican National Convention. He is scheduled to speak sometime after 9:30 p.m. CT.
English bulldog "Babydog," companion to West Virginia Congressional candidate and Gov. Jim Justice, is pushed in a wagon through the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Photo by Matt Martin/UPI
Other notable speakers will include former Trump rival Vivek Ramaswamy, who is expected to make a pitch to Gen Z voters; House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana; New York Rep. Elise Stefanik; Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis; Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, who was shot during a 2017 Congressional Baseball Game practice session.
On Tuesday, Scalise called for U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to step down after last weekend's assassination attempt on Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, where he was shot in the ear and a supporter was killed. Cheatle told ABC News in an interview that she does not plan to resign, but said "the buck stops with me."
Former President and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his vice presidential running mate JD Vance appear during the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Monday. Day 2 on Tuesday shifts to immigration and crime. Photo by Matt Martin/UPI
In line with Tuesday's focus on immigration, Trump has vowed to mount the "largest deportation effort in American history" if elected, as Republicans criticize President Joe Biden 's handling of the southern border during his administration.
Since Biden's executive order last month to turn away asylum requests after daily thresholds of 2,500 migrant encounters, arrests of migrants illegally crossing the U.S. southern border dropped nearly 30%, according to new data released Monday by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. There were 83,536 arrests between ports of entry last month, a decline of 29% from May and the lowest monthly total since January 2021.
Former President Donald Trump and his vice presidential running mate JD Vance appear at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Monday. It was the first time Trump had appeared in public since Saturday's assassination attempt on his life. Photo by Matt Martin/UPI
"A majority of Americans want mass deportations for illegal immigrants," Trump National Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt claimed in a statement. "On Day One back in the White House, President Trump will begin the largest criminal deportation operation of illegal immigrants and restore the rule of law."
"There is no logistical way to track down 10 to 12 million undocumented immigrants with the ICE employees they currently have," countered Abigail Andrews, who has been studying deportation data for 10 years and is a professor of urban studies and planning at the University of California, San Diego.
Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has been added to the list of speakers on Tuesday at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, after the weekend assassination attempt on Trump. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI
The cost of detaining, housing and transporting millions of deportees, "would be astronomical," Andrews added, as Trump officials argued deportation would save the rising costs of education and health care for undocumented communities.
Not all of Tuesday's convention-related topics were so serious.
Rep. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., will close out Tuesday's speeches at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee where the theme "Make America Safe Once Again" will shift the convention focus to immigration and crime. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI
At one point in the afternoon, West Virginia and Congressional candidate Gov. Jim Justice took the stage with his English bulldog "Babydog" and praised former President Donald Trump as the dog sat in a chair nearby. According to a report by CNN, Justice said Babydog predicts Republicans will retain the House majority and even flip the Senate and "overwhelmingly we're going to elect Donald J. Trump and J.D. Vance in November."
Earlier in the day, Trump met with former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to discuss foreign policy and Ukraine.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is interviewed Tuesday on the floor of the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. The city is hosting the 2024 Republican Convention which will run from July 15th through July 18th. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI
"Great to meet President Trump who is in top form after the shameful attempt on his life," Johnson said in a statement after the meeting. "We discussed Ukraine and I have no doubt that he will be strong and decisive in supporting that country and defending democracy."
"Nice meeting with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a very fine guy!" Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Anne Hathaway, chairwoman of the Indiana Republican Party, speaks at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0