On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump reaffirmed incorrect claims that Haitian migrants are eating pets while promising to enforce stricter immigration measures as he connects with undecided Latino voters amid a competitive presidential race against Vice President Kamala Harris.

As the Republican presidential candidate, Trump participated in a town hall meeting in Miami-Dade County hosted by Univision. He responded to inquiries from undecided Latino voters in Florida, his home state, and from other crucial battleground states like Arizona. One participant, Jose Saralegui, a Republican registered in Rio Rico, Arizona, questioned Trump about his thoughts on the unfounded rumor that Haitian migrants are eating the pets of residents in Springfield, Ohio—a claim Trump and his running mate JD Vance have mentioned multiple times.

“This was just reported,” Trump remarked during the event. “I was just mentioning what was reported – it’s been reported that they are eating other things as well.”

This false claim, which has been dismissed by local authorities in Springfield, has led to significant distress among Haitian migrants, who expressed feelings of unsafety in the community. It also resulted in multiple bomb threats, necessitating the evacuation of public facilities and the presence of state police at every school in Springfield.

During the town hall, Trump mentioned he would be traveling to Springfield to provide a “full report” on the situation there.

Mass deportations and their impact on the economy

Throughout the town hall, Trump tackled various subjects, from immigration to the economy.

Jorge Velázquez from Santa Maria, California, shared his experience of laboring in the fields, picking strawberries and cutting broccoli—a challenging task often performed by undocumented workers. He posed a straightforward question to Trump: If all these individuals were deported, what would be the cost of food?

Trump did not provide a clear answer about the potential increase in food prices should he proceed with his promise to deport millions in the U.S. Instead, he asserted that he established a “great” immigration system with immigrants coming through legal channels.

During his time in office, Trump implemented several strict immigration policies both at the border and for those seeking to enter the U.S. He made it more difficult for foreign workers to obtain visas or refugee status, along with issuing fewer green cards to individuals not currently residing in the U.S., as reported by the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.

“I was the best thing that ever happened to farmers,” Trump claimed at the town hall. “You know that I’m right? Farmers are currently struggling terribly—very, very badly under this administration.”

He was also questioned about rising grocery prices and attributed the increases to the Biden-Harris administration, insisting there was “no inflation” during his own presidency.

Inflation in the U.S. began to rise during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, contributing to higher prices for goods and services, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Last month, inflation reached a three-year low, with prices increasing by 2.4% compared to a year prior, down from 2.5% in August.

Trump’s views on Harris: ‘Seems to have a nice way about her’

One of the toughest inquiries Trump mentioned he faced during the town hall was to name a few positive attributes of Harris.

“Not a fan,” Trump expressed. “I believe she’s done significant damage to our country.”

Nevertheless, the former president managed to identify three commendable traits about his opponent: her resilience, her enduring friendships, and her “nice way about her.”

“She seems to be someone who can survive,” Trump said regarding Harris. “She was out of the race and suddenly she’s running for president again. That’s a great quality some possess and others do not.”

Harris was posed the same question about Trump the previous week during her town hall, but she could only identify one positive trait of the former president—his affection for his family.

Approaching the final phase

Trump and Harris are in a neck-and-neck election, making the backing of Latino voters essential in several battleground states, including Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. While Harris has majority support among Latino voters, her appeal has been waning among younger Latino men.

According to recent YSL News/Suffolk University polls, 57% of Latino voters in Arizona and 56% in Nevada support Harris. This slightly trails the backing Biden had in the 2020 election from those states. The polls reveal that 38% of Latinos in Arizona and 40% in Nevada are inclined to vote for or lean towards Trump.

Nationwide, polls indicate that 54% of Latino voters back Harris while 33% support Trump, according to a recent survey by the Hispanic Federation and Latino Victory Foundation. Four percent of respondents indicated they would choose another candidate, and 9% remained undecided.

Last week, Harris engaged in a town hall with Univision, where she responded to approximately twelve questions from Latino voters concerning topics like healthcare, immigration, and the Biden administration’s response to recent severe storms.