Trump Pledges Huge 'Day 1' Action to State Crowd

Former President Donald Trump promised on Thursday to revoke President Joe Biden’s recent executive order on border security on his first day back in office, during a town hall in Phoenix.

The event, held at Dream City Church and sponsored by Turning Point Action, seemed to reach its full capacity of nearly 4,000 attendees.

Trump mentioned that organizers had to turn away thousands of people due to the high turnout.

This appeared credible as Dream City's parking lots and nearby street parking, extending half a mile or more, were entirely occupied.

About an hour before the event, thousands of Trump supporters were still outside in the 100-plus-degree heat, hoping to get a seat.

The former president criticized Biden’s executive order on border security issued on Tuesday.

“On day one of my administration, I will be rescinding crooked Joe’s outrageous executive order,” Trump stated, vowing to “terminate every single open borders policy of the Biden administration as soon as I take the oath of office.”

The audience responded with loud applause.

Trump characterized the order as “pro-invasion, pro-child trafficking, pro-women trafficking, pro-human trafficking, pro-drug dealers, and in all, it’s really, they bring death and they bring destruction into our country.”

“It’s really pro-illegal immigration. … It doesn’t do anything. It makes it worse than what you have right now,” he added.

Trump claimed that the border situation he inherited from former President Barack Obama in 2016 “was beautiful by comparison” to the current state under Biden.

He stated that the new border plan would allow around 2 million migrants to enter the country via the southern border.

Biden’s executive order stipulates that the border will close between ports of entry when illegal crossings average 2,500 per day, which is the current situation.

However, this cap would theoretically allow 912,000 migrants to enter the U.S. illegally between ports of entry annually before the border could be closed.

In comparison, Trump’s worst year for illegal border crossings was approximately 852,000 in 2019, with the other three years ranging between 300,000 and 400,000.

Moreover, there are several exceptions to the 2,500-per-day rule, including migrants with appointments for asylum claims made through U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s smartphone app. These individuals are allowed to enter the United States through a port of entry.

The administration is processing about 1,500 migrants’ asylum claims daily at official ports through the app, according to Politico.

Other exceptions include “unaccompanied children, some victims of trafficking, migrants facing acute medical emergencies or imminent threats to their safety,” as reported by the outlet.

Trump argued that “Joe Biden wants an invasion. I want a deportation. I want a deportation, because it’s not sustainable.”

“Biden’s order is not a border security plan, it’s a concession to the fact that he has lost control over our border,” Trump said.

To underscore his commitment to securing the border, Trump mentioned former Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and asked if he was present at the event.

Upon confirming Arpaio's presence, Trump invited the 91-year-old to the stage, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Trump embraced him, saying, “We had a real border with this guy. They were saying, ‘He’s too tough.’ Now they’re saying, ‘Where is Sheriff Joe?'”

Arpaio called Trump the “only hero I ever had in my life” and expressed gratitude for Trump calling his late wife, Ava, multiple times during her battle with cancer. “I’ll never forget that,” Arpaio said. Ava passed away in 2021.

Arpaio was among the first Arizona officials to endorse Trump in his 2016 presidential campaign.

During the town hall segment of Thursday’s event, the questions focused primarily on three issues: border security, inflation/economy, and crime, reflecting national polling priorities for the election.

Trump highlighted the consistency of voter concerns, especially regarding the border, inflation, and the economy.

“We’re going to take care of it all,” he assured. “We’re going to make America greater than ever before.”