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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump hosted a rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday, which opened with a series of vulgar and racist comments from his supporters. A longstanding celebrity in New York, Trump aimed to use the event, known for hosting Knicks basketball games and Billy Joel concerts, to present his closing argument against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, despite the state last supporting a Republican presidential candidate in 1984.

Trump repeatedly emphasized his plans to curb illegal immigration and deport migrants whom he referred to as “vicious and bloodthirsty criminals” if he wins the election on November 5. “On day one, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history,” he declared, adding, “I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered.”

The former president disparaged Harris, labeling her a “very low IQ individual,” and received enthusiastic cheers from the crowd for his stringent immigration rhetoric. He pledged to ban sanctuary cities, which do not comply with federal immigration laws, and to use the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport immigrants with criminal records.

The rally featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Trump’s sons, Eric and Don Jr. Some opening remarks were marred by racist and misogynistic language. Giuliani, Trump’s former personal attorney, falsely claimed that Harris sided with “terrorists” in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made crude jokes about Latinos and disparaged Puerto Rico, referring to it as a “floating island of garbage.” In response, Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin criticized the comments on social media, stating, “This is what they think of us.”

Danielle Alvarez, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, told Reuters that Hinchcliffe’s comments did not reflect Trump’s views or the campaign’s stance. While Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, they cannot vote in federal elections, although many who have moved to the mainland can. A significant Puerto Rican community resides in battleground state Pennsylvania, where Harris visited a restaurant earlier in the day, pledging to “invest in Puerto Rico’s future” as president.

Harris’s campaign condemned the Madison Square Garden rally as “mirroring the same dangerously divisive and demeaning message” as Trump’s past rhetoric. Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton accused Trump of “re-enacting” a pro-Nazi rally that took place at the venue in 1939. Critics have long claimed that Trump’s inflammatory language empowers white supremacists. Trump dismissed such comparisons, asserting, “This is called Make America Great Again; that’s all this is.”

At the rally, Hulk Hogan rejected allegations of fascism associated with Trump, stating, “I don’t see any Nazis in here.”

Elon Musk, the billionaire supporting Trump’s reelection bid, was welcomed on stage with chants of “Elon.” Musk claimed the event represented the “positive energy that America is all about,” and suggested that the federal budget could be reduced by “at least” $2 trillion.

In his speech, Trump argued that Americans are worse off now than they were four years ago and proposed a new tax credit for caregivers. He touted his foreign policy achievements during his presidency from 2017 to 2021, claiming he would avoid initiating new wars, although he asserted, “If we did have a war with China, we would kick their ass.”

As polls indicate a tight race between Harris and Trump in critical battleground states, over 38 million votes have already been cast nationwide. Trump has attempted to link Harris to the Biden administration’s handling of immigration and economic issues, introducing a new attack line: “She broke it, and I promise you I will fix it.”

Although the economy has shown stronger performance than many developed nations since the COVID crisis, rising costs for food, utilities, and housing have caused voter dissatisfaction.

Harris, who held rallies with Bruce Springsteen and Beyoncé earlier in the week, is set to speak on Tuesday at the National Mall in Washington, where she plans to outline the contrasts between her platform and Trump’s. “He is full of grievance. He is full of dark language that is about retribution and revenge,” Harris said of Trump during her Philadelphia visit.

Trump’s campaign reported that the event at Madison Square Garden, which can cost over $1 million to rent, was sold out, with free tickets offered on a first-come, first-served basis, similar to Harris’ rally in Houston, which attracted around 30,000 attendees. Harris noted the strong turnout at her events, asserting to reporters in Philadelphia, “The momentum is with us.”