Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump focuses on border at rally in Prescott Valley

PHOENIX — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump turned his focus to the border and the economy at his rally in Prescott Valley on Sunday.

In his fourth visit to Arizona this year, Trump again emphasized securing the border during his 95-minute-long speech ahead of the Nov. 5 general election.

With early voting in Arizona already taking place, Trump also took plenty of jabs at President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday.

“If Kamala gets four more years, the entire country will be turned into a migrant camp,” Trump said at the rally.

For a portion of his speech, Trump was joined on the stage by the National Border Patrol Council. The union, which represents 16,000 Border Patrol agents, endorsed Trump during the rally.

Paul Perez, president of the National Border Patrol Council, spoke and criticized Harris while backing Trump to secure the border.

“Every city, every community in this great country is going to go to hell,” Perez said if Harris should win the election.

“This November, we have a choice to make,” Perez continued. “Continue the chaos, allow the criminal cartels to control the border, to allow drugs and fentanyl across our country or put an end to it once and for all.”

The former president later announced a plan to hire 10,000 Border Patrol agents, raise agent pay by 10% and give a $10,000 bonus to each agent.

“This will ensure that we can hire and keep the Border Patrol agents that we need,” Trump said.

Trump also said he wants to apply the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport criminal illegals and remove violent gangs from the country.

“To expedite the removal of the Tren de Aragua and other savage gangs, I will invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798,” Trump said.

“(It) will target and dismantle every migrant criminal network operating on American soil. And in honor of the great people of Aurora, Colorado, we will call this ‘Operation Aurora’ because they were the first to suffer with this group of thugs. And if they come back into our country after removal, it’s an automatic 10 years in jail with no possibility of parole.”

Trump later mocked Harris for “how much she loves taxes” after taking digs at the “Kamala inflation nightmare,” citing the rising prices of groceries and cars.

“We will make America affordable again,” Trump said.

Trump also campaigned around the promise of no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on social security benefits.

Sunday’s event was held at the Findlay Toyota Arena, which seats around 5,100.

“I could have been on the most beautiful beaches in the world right now,” Trump said. “But I’d rather be in Arizona with you and these people.”

Trump also made a stop in Phoenix in June at Dream City Church, an appearance in Arizona in August at the U.S.-Mexico border at Montezuma Pass in Cochise County before a rally in Glendale the next day. The former president later paid a visit to Tucson in September.

Trump also campaigned in Prescott Valley in 2016 and 2022. He lost Arizona to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 but won the Grand Canyon state in 2016 over Hillary Clinton.

A brief appearance from Kari Lake

Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake made a brief appearance on the stage during the rally and campaigned for Trump and for herself.

“I used to say after the first term of President Trump, ‘We just witnessed one of the great presidents in American history.’ And now I say, ‘This is the greatest president in American history,'” Lake said at the rally.

Lake continued her high praise for Trump and said, “We are in the midst of one of the greatest leaders in human history.”

“He’s done so much work for us. Now each and every one of us has to do our part,” Lake said. “Call every friend in your contact list and make sure they’re gonna get out and vote for Donald J. Trump (for president) and Kari Lake for U.S. Senate.”

The former president closed by saying, “Together, we will win, win, win,” before he exited the stage by dancing to “Y.M.C.A.” by the Village People.

What do the polls say in Arizona?

It has been a particularly tight race in Arizona, but many recent polls show Trump holds a marginal lead over Harris in the state. The polling average compiled by RealClearPolitics showed Trump with a slim lead of one percentage point in Arizona as of Thursday.

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