Former President Donald Trump revealed plans to visit Springfield, Ohio, and Aurora, Colorado, in the near future, fueling further controversy surrounding the 2024 presidential election.
Trump made the announcement during a rally on Wednesday, sparking renewed attention to the two cities at the center of the national debate on illegal immigration.
Springfield, Ohio, gained notoriety after Trump mentioned during a presidential debate on September 11 that residents’ pets were being targeted by immigrants. Trump claimed that immigrants were “eating the dogs” and “eating the cats” of local residents, sparking outrage and denial from local authorities.
Aurora, Colorado, has also been at the center of controversy after reports emerged of Venezuelan gang members allegedly committing violent crimes and taking over an apartment complex. A report by the law firm Perkins Coie, hired to investigate the claims, found evidence of “flagrant trespass violations, assaults and battery, human trafficking and sexual abuse of minors, unlawful firearms possession, extortion, and other criminal activities” by gang members.
The report, written by former U.S. attorney T. Markus Funk, stated that the gang’s activities “often targeted vulnerable Venezuelan and other immigrant populations.”
Trump’s opponents have disputed the accuracy of these claims, labeling them as sensationalized and untrue.
While Trump did not confirm a specific date for his visit, he hinted that it would take place within two weeks. The purpose and details of the visit remain unclear, leaving many to speculate about the nature of the trip.
