A local TV anchor in Michigan caught Donald Trump off guard by asking the former president for the source of his outlandish claim that other countries are sending criminals through the border.
Trump claimed in an interview with Fox 2 Detroit anchor Roop Raj that crime is down by more than 70% in Venezuela because officials are sending Venezuelan criminals to the United States through the US-Mexico border.
“One stat before we go. Venezuela was very crime-ridden. They announced the other day 72% reduction in crime in the last year,” Trump said. “You know why? They moved all their criminals from Venezuela right into the good old U.S.A. and Biden let them do it. It’s a disgrace.”
But, Raj stumped Trump by asking: “Where are those numbers coming from?”
“Uhhh, I guess I get them from the papers in this case. I think it’s a federal statement or, well, they’re coming actually from Venezuela. They’re coming from Venezuela,” Trump answered.
“We’ll have to check on that,” said Raj.
Trump has repeated the unfounded claim at his rallies though each time he tells it, the percentage drop in crime increases.
“Crime is down in Venezuela by 67% because they’re taking their gangs and their criminals and depositing them very nicely into the United States,” Trump said at a rally last month.
There is no evidence to support Trump’s claim that countries are emptying their prisons into the United States, according to Politifact.
