Donald Trump seemed to suggest Friday that the government is allowing immigrants to flow into the country illegally so they can vote in next month’s elections.
At a roundtable talk at Trump Tower Friday, the Republican presidential nominee heard a claim by Art Del Cueto, national vice president for the National Border Patrol Council, that immigration officials are hurriedly processing people – even individuals with criminal records.
“Some of these individuals that [we’ve] apprehended with criminal records,” Del Cueto told Trump. “They’re setting them aside because at this point they are saying immigration is so tied up with trying to get the people who are on the waiting list to hurry up and get them their immigration status corrected.”
“Why?” Trump asked.
“So they can go ahead and vote before the election,” Del Cueto responded. “They want to hurry up and fast track them so they can go ahead and vote in the election.”
“Big statement, fellas,” Trump told the press pool, adding that “You’re not going to write it.”
“That’s huge,” Trump continued. “ . . . They’re letting people pour into the country so they can go and vote.”
The claim is Trump’s latest to suggest that the election system is being rigged against him. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., urged Trump to stop making the claim.
“I don’t think it’s good for democracy to have a major candidate for president doubt the outcome,” Graham said on CNN’s “At This Hour” on Thursday. “But being rigged means it’s rigged against you and I think Mr. Trump’s fate is in his own hands.”
Graham added: “The election process, I think, we need to respect it rather than create doubt about it. Americans have enough to worry about already. Let’s don’t suggest the election’s rigged.”
William Douglas: 202-383-6026, @williamgdouglas