Trump says migrants caused a ‘surge in crime’ in a small Wisconsin city. Its residents reject that.

“There are people who believe it, who believe that it’s not hyperbole, that it’s not political, that it is the truth,” said Kristine Zaballos, a co-founder of Whitewater’s Community Space, a volunteer-run organization providing free food, clothing, toys, books and housewares to local residents. Undocumented immigrants, allowed by Democrats to run free, are to blame for inflation, compromised “election integrity” and rising crime, according to the 2024 GOP platform. And mass deportations, which Trump has promised to begin on Day 1, will work in his calculus alongside steep tariffs and massive deregulation to jump-start the country’s economy, particularly for his blue-collar base, which he calls the “forgotten men and women of America.” Illegal border crossings ascended to record levels under President Joe Biden, and the topic polls well for Trump, who has fought to make it the top issue of his campaign as Republicans up and down the ballot contend that “every state is a border state.” Over the course of the election, the former president has sought to make that motto come alive, highlighting terrifying examples of migrant crime in communities across the U.S. The city government lists a number of immigrant resources on its website, including an “immigrant self help guide,” and is working with a local immigration support coalition to produce a bilingual video series to help new arrivals better understand local rules and customs, according to Zaballos.