CBS News is fact checking some of the statements made by speakers during the 2024 Republican National Convention, which is taking place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, through Thursday, July 18. On Wednesday, the third day of the RNC, JD Vance, the vice presidential nominee, addressed the convention.
The convention’s theme Wednesday was foreign policy, and many of the speakers criticized the Biden administration’s handling of national security and argued that the nation would be stronger if former President Donald Trump is elected. Trump’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as well as Donald Jr.’s fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle and his daughter Kai addressed the convention; conservative commentator Tucker Carlson also spoke.
Monday’s theme was the economy, so several of the statements checked relate to U.S. economic concerns, and Tuesday focused on safety and law enforcement.
CBS News is covering the RNC live.
Fact check on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s claim that 11 million immigrants have crossed the southern border: Misleading
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas: “Under [Biden’s] watch, around 11 million immigrants have crossed our border illegally.”
Details: Nationwide, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has reported around 10 million migrant encounters since 2021. But the number of encounters doesn’t represent individual people, since some migrants cross the border multiple times. And not every migrant who is processed is allowed to stay in the U.S. Under President Biden, the U.S. has carried out over 4 million deportations, expulsions and returns of migrants since the start of fiscal year 2021, according to Department of Homeland Security data.
There are migrants who have evaded capture. The exact number isn’t known, but one government official estimate from U.S. Border Patrol obtained by Fox News said it could be about 1.7 million migrants since the 2021 fiscal year.
Sen. Ted Cruz made a similar claim on Tuesday, the second day of the convention.
By Laura Doan
Fact check on Abbott claims that under Trump, U.S. had lowest level of illegal border crossings in four decades: True, but not for every year of his presidency
Gov. Greg Abbott: “Under President Trump, we had the lowest illegal border crossings in about four decades.”
Details: In 2017 the yearly number of apprehensions at the southern border hit a 46-year low, according to U.S. Border Patrol data. This was the lowest number since 1971.
But during 2019, the number of apprehensions at the southern border spiked at over 850,000, the highest level in over a decade. In 2020, the year Trump left office, illegal immigration levels were higher than when he was inaugurated.
By Laura Doan and Alexander Hunter
Fact check on Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance’s claim that China, cartels are sending fentanyl across U.S. border: True, needs context
Sen. JD Vance: “China and the cartels sent fentanyl across the border, adding addiction to the heartache.”
Details: Mexican cartels are the main source of finished fentanyl that is distributed into the United States, with China being the main supplier of the precursor chemicals and pill presses the cartels use to produce the drugs, according to a 2024 report by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
However, this is not a new problem. Fentanyl and its altered forms have accounted for a sharp increase in drug overdose deaths since around 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Their most recent report shows a slight decrease in deaths from synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, in 2023.
It is also worth noting that in 2023, 86.4% of individuals sentenced for fentanyl trafficking were U.S. citizens, according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
By Emma Li and Laura Doan