Trump Links New Orleans Vehicle Ramming Incident to 'Illegal Immigrant Crime'

President-elect of the United States Donald Trump on the 1st (local time) indirectly linked the rise in crime rates in the U.S. to the issue of crimes committed by illegal immigrants, in response to the incident in New Orleans where a vehicle rammed into a crowd, killing 10 people.

On that day, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, "When I said that criminals coming from other countries are much worse than American criminals, the Democrats and the fake news media denied it, but it has been proven true," adding, "The crime rate in the U.S. is at a level no one has ever seen before."

The scene of the vehicle ramming incident in New Orleans, USA. Photo by Getty Images Yonhap News.

He continued, "My condolences go out to all the innocent victims, including the brave police officers of New Orleans, and their loved ones," and stated, "The Trump administration will fully support the City of New Orleans in investigating and recovering from this complete act of evil."

In the early hours of that day, in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana, a vehicle rammed into a crowd celebrating the New Year, killing at least 10 people and injuring 35. After Trump posted on social media, investigators identified the perpetrator as a retired military serviceman and U.S. citizen from Texas. The suspect was shot and killed by police at the scene.

During his presidential campaign, Trump pointed to illegal immigrants as the cause of violent crime in the U.S., labeling it as "immigrant crime under the Biden administration." In this context, he claimed that criminals who entered the U.S. illegally are worse than domestic criminals. He asserted that violent crime rates have significantly increased under the Biden administration; however, according to CNN and others, as of 2023, the violent crime rate in the U.S. is at its lowest level in over 50 years.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden issued a statement that day expressing condolences to the victims and said, "The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which is leading the investigation, is treating this incident as an act of terrorism," and that he had been briefed by relevant authorities. He added, "I have directed federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to use all necessary resources to quickly ascertain the facts of the incident and ensure that no threats remain," and stated, "No form of violence can be justified, and no attack on American society will be tolerated."