Republicans

NPR  - The Republican National Convention's "Make America Safe Again" night was marked by violent rhetoric and attacks on undocumented immigrants. Speakers said crime is increasing, criticized Biden's record on crime and immigration, and falsely claimed Democrats want to allow unauthorized migrants to vote. Nearly every speaker linked the fentanyl crisis to U.S. immigration and border policies.

While it is true that under President Biden, the southern border saw a record high amount  of people crossing into the U.S. without authorization, the number has greatly decreased since January, Martínez-Beltrán reports. He reports that studies also show migrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born citizens.

 

 Several speakers pressed for harsher prosecutions and consequences for crimes and criticized calls from the left to “defund the police.” Anderson reports that while crime rose during the pandemic, recent FBI data shows violent crime is declining nationwide. Ernesto Lopez, a researcher at the Council on Criminal Justice, tells her people should be cautious about trying to pin rising or falling crime rates on one political party.

 

 In addition to addressing crime and safety, women close to former President Donald Trump gave emotional speeches last night aimed at humanizing him. Their narrative was meant to counter criticism of his treatment of women and combative persona.