Trump rallies in Pennsylvania, attacks Harris over border security

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. president Donald Trump held a rally in Harrisburg, Pa., on Wednesday, attacking the Democrats' immigration record just a few hours after he questioned the racial identity of Vice-President Kamala Harris.

The rally is being held indoors at the state capital's New Holland Arena. Trump was onstage just after 7 p.m. ET.

"As you know, this is my first return to Pennsylvania since the rally in Butler," he said.

"Eighteen days ago, we had a very terrible day. We had a rough day, I will tell you by all accounts. I should not be with you today. I shouldn't be with you, but I am."

During a tense event with the U.S. National Association of Black Journalists earlier Wednesday, Trump suggested Harris used to identify as South Asian but had adopted her identity as a Black woman for political advantage.

"She was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn and she became a Black person," Trump said of Harris, whose father was Black and whose mother was Indian American.

Harris, 59, has long identified as both Black and South Asian. She is the first Black and South Asian American to serve as the nation's vice-president.

Condemnation was swift from both sides of the political aisle. White House press secretary Karine Jean Pierre said the comments were "repulsive," while former governor Larry Hogan of Maryland, an anti-Trump Republican now running for the Senate, said it was "unacceptable and abhorrent" to attack Harris's racial identity.

Trump threw political attacks at Harris throughout his speech in Harrisburg, hitting out against her record on immigration, crime, bail reform and gun control, but did not reference his earlier comments at the journalists's conference in Chicago.

Trump repeatedly attacked Harris over border security, claiming the her failure as "border czar" — a position she never actually held — had contributed to what he has described as an "invasion" of illegal immigrants and resulting increase in violent crime. 

Harris had been tasked by President Joe Biden to deal with the root causes of migration from Central America as illegal border crossings rose in 2021.

Harris responded to Trump's remarks at an event in Houston for Sigma Gamma Rho, a Black sorority.

"It was the same old show — the divisiveness and the disrespect. And let me just say: The American people deserve better," she said.

Outside the arena ahead of the Pennsylvania event, there were virtually no images of Harris. T-shirts, flags and hats and other merchandise for sale showed photos of Trump, with a few of Biden.