Vice President JD Vance came out swinging Wednesday night at the University of Mississippi, calling for what he described as a near halt to legal immigration during a Turning Point USA event.
“We have to get the overall numbers way, way down,” Vance told the crowd, drawing cheers from some and uneasy murmurs from others. The event, hosted by the conservative student group once led by the late Charlie Kirk, gave Vance a platform to press one of his most hardline policy positions yet.
Pressed by a student to give a specific target for legal immigration, Vance declined to name a number but made his stance clear. “Far less than what we’ve been accepting,” he said, accusing the Biden administration of “allowing too many people into the country” and warning that the influx threatens the nation’s unity.
“When something like that happens, you’ve got to allow your own society to cohere a little bit, to build a sense of common identity, for all the newcomers — the ones who are going to stay — to assimilate into American culture,” Vance said. “Until you do that, you’ve got to be careful about any additional immigration, in my view.”
The vice president’s remarks came amid a wave of renewed debate over immigration policy, as the Trump-Vance administration continues to tighten enforcement at the southern border. But Vance’s call to restrict even legal immigration marks a sharper edge — one that sets him apart from many mainstream Republicans who have long favored expanding legal channels while cracking down on illegal crossings.
Vance didn’t stop there. He also waded into foreign policy, praising President Donald Trump’s record in the Middle East and touting his recent strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. He framed the action as part of an effort to avoid “unnecessary foreign conflicts,” even as the administration steps up pressure on Venezuela and targets drug trafficking operations at sea.
When asked about concerns that Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Democratic-led cities could open the door for future presidents to use similar powers against conservatives, Vance brushed it off. He defended Trump’s broad use of executive authority and dismissed what he called “fear-based” arguments.
“We cannot be afraid to do something because the left might do it in the future,” he said. “The left is already going to do it regardless of whether we do it.”
Vance also faced pointed questions from students about his views on Christianity and whether faith defines who counts as an American.
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