VP candidate Vance campaigns in Eau Claire

EAU CLAIRE — U.S. Senator and vice president candidate JD Vance vowed that returning Donald Trump to the presidency would lead to deportations of illegal immigrants, making American communities safer.

Vance, R-Ohio, spoke Tuesday at the Eau Claire Event District before about 500 supporters. The indoor event was packed, with many visitors lining the back wall. Vance said that the “open border policies” created by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have allowed illegal immigration to significantly increase.

“Now Wisconsin, and every other state, is dealing with the consequences,” Vance said. “Kamala Harris wants to suspend deportations; Donald Trump wants to reimplement deportations.”

Vance talked about a parent who spoke at the Republican National Convention, whose 14-year-old child died of a fentanyl overdose. Vance said getting rid of those drugs is a key component of the Trump platform.

“Don’t all of us want to live in a community where you can make childhood mistakes and not have it claim your life?” he asked. “We need to get back to public safety in this country.”

Vance needled Harris for having only done a handful of interviews with media since she became the Democratic presidential nominee two months ago.

“We win about 100,000 votes every time she does (an interview),” he said, drawing laughs from the crowd. “Kamala Harris talks to the American people like they are children, and we talk to them like they are fellow citizens who deserve our respect.”

Vance also called on Democrats and the national media to calm down the rhetoric, especially after an apparent second assassination attempt on Trump on Tuesday.

“Stop the craziness, stop the violent talk,” Vance said. “I call on every leader, not just to tone down the rhetoric, but tone down the censorship.”

Vance talked about speaking to Trump on the phone shortly after the situation had cleared. Vance was surprised at how calm Trump sounded.

“He said, ‘the big problem is I was on the sixth hole and I was about to hit a birdie, and they wouldn’t let me,’” Vance said.

He said with Trump, “you get exactly who you see.”

“You get someone who is competent and shows courage under fire,” Vance said.

Haitians in Springfield, OhioVance never mentioned Haitians, or the city of Springfield, Ohio, in his prepared remarks. However, he defended the party’s platform after multiple questions from the media.

Last week, Trump claimed that Haitians who are legally living in Springfield are eating dogs, cats and geese. Vance did not repeat those claims, but added that the growing number of Haitian residents has overwhelmed the city, from students in schools who don’t speak English to rural health care issues. He added that he grew up about 45 minutes from the city and knows it well.

“This town has been overwhelmed by 20,000 migrants, and they can’t take anymore,” Vance said. “It’s an unbelievable tragedy, backed up by Kamala Harris’ open border policy, and it’s got to stop.”

He added: “I haven’t made up anything, I’m just listening to people tell me things.”

However, Vance did call for the bomb threats that have closed schools, municipal buildings and hospitals in the city to end.

“Bomb threats are despicable,” he said. “We condemn bomb threats and violence.”

When asked if he would visit the city, he said he didn’t think that him going there, with 40 Secret Service agents with him, would help the situation.

In back-and-forth questions with the media, Vance called the IVF bill that didn’t pass in the Senate on Tuesday a “Democratic show bill” that had no chance of becoming law.

When asked about if Trump would sign a national abortion ban, Vance said he agreed with Trump that they weren’t going to entertain hypothetical bills that would never pass through Congress.

“(Trump) thinks abortion should be decided by the states, and he’s been consistent on that.”

Vance concluded by saying people ask him all the time if it has been difficult to be thrust into the spotlight, just two years after winning his U.S. Senate seat. He said it has been easier than people imagine.

“It’s been a great professional honor of my life, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” he said.