Washington, May 23 (IANS) US President Donald Trump sharply criticised sanctuary city policies and illegal immigration during a rally in suburban New York, where he also endorsed Republican leaders and highlighted his administration’s economic agenda.
Speaking at Rockland Community College’s Eugene Levy Fieldhouse on Friday, Trump accused Democrats of driving businesses and taxpayers out of New York through high taxes and crime.
“Companies are leaving, rich people are leaving,” Trump told supporters. “New York can never be the same if it's losing its tax base.”
The President repeatedly attacked sanctuary city policies and linked illegal immigration to violent crime. He invited the family of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman, a New York college student killed in Chicago earlier this year, onto the stage.
“My beautiful daughter, Sheridan Grace Gorman, was murdered in cold blood,” her mother Jessica Gorman said. “She was walking on a pier in Chicago with her friends just a few blocks from her campus.”
Her father, Tom Gorman, blamed immigration failures and sanctuary laws for the killing.
“Illegal immigration is different. Criminal illegal immigration is different. Borders matter, laws matter, enforcement matters,” he said.
Trump described the suspect as “an illegal alien monster” and said he “should have never been in this country”.
“Just yesterday, New York state passed a budget packed with provisions to obstruct federal immigration enforcement and keep this a deadly sanctuary state,” Trump said.
The President also renewed his push for the SAVE America Act, calling for voter identification, proof of citizenship and tighter restrictions on mail-in voting.
“Think of it, voter ID, proof of citizenship, and mail-in ballots are gone, except if you need it,” Trump said.
The rally frequently shifted between immigration, taxes and the economy. Trump praised Congressman Mike Lawler for helping restore higher state and local tax deductions, commonly known as SALT deductions.
“With the help of your great Congressman, it's what happened. We got your taxes cut,” Trump said.
Lawler told supporters that “over 90 per cent of my constituents were able to fully deduct their state and local taxes”.
Trump also highlighted manufacturing and investment projects in New York, including projects by General Motors, Chobani and Micron.
“American companies are ordering core capital goods to expand their operations at the highest rate in the history of our country,” he said.
The President repeatedly claimed his administration had secured the US border.
“We had zero illegal aliens admitted into the United States in the last 12 months, zero,” Trump said.
Trump also turned to foreign policy, saying Iran “will never have a nuclear weapon” and claiming Tehran wanted negotiations following recent US military operations.
“Their Navy's gone, their air force is gone, everything's gone,” he said.
The event included emotional moments as Trump announced that Welles Crowther, known as the “man in the red bandanna” for helping save lives during the September 11 attacks, would posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Crowther’s mother, Alison Crowther, thanked Trump for the recognition and said her son’s story continued to inspire young people “to be better people”.
Trump also endorsed Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman for governor, calling him “your Republican nominee” and predicting he would “turn this place around so fast”.
--IANS
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