by Jason Hopkins
Former President Donald Trump unveiled a new proposal on Tuesday, pledging to establish a “compensation fund” for victims of migrant crime in the United States.
Speaking to the public during a press conference at Mar-a-Largo, Trump highlighted the growing threat of Tren de Aragua and other international crime syndicates being imported into the U.S. through mass illegal immigration. The Republican candidate pledged to dismantle these migrant gangs and use their seized assets to create a compensation fund for the victims of their crimes.
“Today, I’m announcing that for the first time, under my administration, we will be seizing the assets of the criminal gangs and drug cartels, and we will use those assets to create a compensation fund to provide restitution for the victims of migrant crime,” Trump said. “And the government will help in the restitution.”
“But something has to be done, and we’re going to get it done,” he continued.
The campaign pledge came as the presidential election reaches its final days, and border security has remained a top issue for voters.
There were roughly 8.5 million migrant encounters along the U.S.-Mexico border during the four fiscal years of the Biden-Harris White House, according to the latest data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The number of illegal border crossings in fiscal year 2024 were the second worst in U.S. history — only surpassed by fiscal year 2023.
The wave of illegal immigration has been followed by growing reports of criminal activity by Tren de Aragua, an international gang that originated in Venezuela. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) suspects that roughly 600 individuals in the U.S. could have potential ties to the Venezuelan gang, but experts predict that number is likely much higher.
The murders of Jocelyn Nungaray, Rachel Morin and Laken Riley are high-profile examples of numerous victims, allegedly at the hands of illegal migrants, in recent times. Their cases have not only kept border security on the forefront of public debate, but have spawned new laws or legislative proposals across the country.
Trump, who has long championed immigration enforcement, has continued to make the issue a hallmark of his campaign.
[Vice President Kamala Harris’] borders are the worst in the history of the world,” Trump said at his Tuesday press conference. “There’s never been a border in the world like this.”
“It’s at a level that we’ve never seen before,” he continued. “If you look at Venezuela, their crime is way, way down, and you go to Caracas and you wouldn’t recognize it … because they are taking all their criminals — they’re all coming — they’ve taken their drug dealers and put them into the United States.”
Watch his full remarks:
FULL REMARKS: President Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida pic.twitter.com/VrSnvY02z3
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) October 29, 2024
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Jason Hopkins is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
Image “Donald Trump” by TeamTrump.
