JD Vance, the Republican nominee for Vice President, recently voiced concerns during a rally in Peoria, arguing that unauthorized immigrant children, particularly those lacking English proficiency, could impair the standard of American educational systems. This view was expressed, despite Arizona’s legislative move more than two decades ago, which abolished bilingual education in public schools.
Vance remarked that an astounding number of children currently enrolled in Arizona’s schools are grappling with the excessive burden of language barriers, often unable to converse in English or even Spanish. He reasoned that the focus on children without legal status undermines instructional efforts directed towards American learners, a problematic dynamic considering these unauthorized children shouldn’t have been granted access to the education system.
As part of his political discourse in strategically important Arizona, Vance accentuated two significant issues echoing in the minds of voters – the immigration crisis along the southern border and the state of the economy. His speech was delivered at Peoria’s TYR Tactical, which is predominantly engaged in supplying equipment to military and law enforcement agencies.
Without undermining the plight of these children, Vance asserted the imperative need for a border policy that wouldn’t compromise the excellence of the country’s education. However, it is important to note that in Arizona, classrooms are often separated based on English proficiency, ensuring English-speaking students are not disadvantaged due to others’ language limitations.
The Arizona Department of Education reported an approximate population of 100,000 English learning students, a significant share belonging to immigrant or refugee households. These learners often demonstrate yet-to-be-proficient English skills according to standardized testing. The enforcement of Arizona’s English-only policy since 2000 has eradicated bilingual education from public schools leading to undistracted teaching for English speakers.
Closing in on Election Day, with just a fortnight to go, Vance scheduled rallies in Peoria and Tucson to bolster voter turnout for the November 5th election. He spares no opportunity to critique Vice President Kamala Harris, whilst expressing admiration for his running mate, former President Donald Trump.
Vance confidently expressed his political role to be fairly easy, emphasizing how he merely had the task of reminding American voters about the consequences of Trump’s leadership – a surge in their take-home pay, and subdued inflationary pressures. This campaign tour signified Vance’s fourth trip to Arizona since his Vice Presidential nomination alongside Trump back in July.
Even though Trump had a marginal lead in the Arizona Presidential polls against Harris, the competition remained fiercely contested. Data from the recent CBS News/YouGov poll suggested Trump is just three points ahead of Harris among probable voters in Arizona. Consequently, both campaigns are focusing their energies on garnering substantial support in Arizona during the election’s closing weeks.
On the campaign trail, Vance committed to ensuring Native Americans will not go unheard if the Trump-Vance ticket is elected. Notably, within recent weeks, Harris has actively sought the support of Native American voters, while President Biden has also announced his maiden presidential tour to Indian Country, scheduled in the Gila River community on the approaching Friday.
Vance addressed his belief regarding Native American voters swaying towards Trump’s candidacy. He reasoned that this demographic is drawn due to worsened living standards echoed by escalated rental prices and a porous southern border, issues that are severely impacting native communities on par with any other community groups.
Vance targeted Harris for the inflationary spiral observed during the Biden administration, emphasizing her critical role as Vice President in breaking Senate ties. Taking a strategic shot, he attempted to associate her more firmly with the current administration as part of the reelection strategy.
In his scathing critique of Harris, Vance made pointed questions about the unfulfilled promises made by Harris regarding housing affordability solutions and border security. Highlighting her tenure in office, he rhetorically asked her about her accomplishments since assuming office more than 1,400 days ago.
Further in his speech, Vance took the opportunity to reminisce about Trump’s era, fondly recalling stable grocery, fuel, and housing prices. He sharply contrasted this with the current Biden administration era, describing the world to be wrought with international disputes and crises.
Vance had a stringent stance on the current administration’s economic policies and alleged initiatives to handle the cost of living. He also criticized their handling of the Southwestern border issue and underlined Harris’s role in shaping these faulty policies.
Vance mourned the tragic death of 30-year-old Marine Corps veteran, Nicholas Douglas, suspected to be orchestrated by Mexican cartels, while Douglas was on the Caborca-Altar highway. In his narrative, Vance pointed out that the cartel activities were causing havoc across both the northern and southern regions of the border, and were not only limited within Mexican territories.
Addressing the rally, Vance expressed optimism, claiming that the trust in Arizona’s election mechanism has improved since 2020. Although he stayed away from committing to the legitimacy of the 2020 election results, he reinforced his faith in the enhanced integrity of the upcoming 2024 election. Vance urged citizens to cast their votes through the most comfortable means possible, in order to have their voices heard.