Claims about inflation, immigration, abortion and more are likely to be made in tonight’s presidential debate between the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, and the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump.
You can watch the debate live on ABC, ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu at 8 p.m. CDT.
To help sort fact from fiction while watching, here’s a look at 12 of the latest statements fact-checked by Wisconsin Watch that you might hear repeated.
Immigration
How many undocumented immigrants have entered the U.S. during the Biden-Harris administration?
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance claimed in De Pere that 25 million have entered — and stayed. There’s no evidence the number is that high.
Did illegal immigration drop 90% under Trump?
No. That claim by Green Bay-area GOP congressional candidate Tony Wied was wrong.
Southwest border encounters decreased 43% in 2017, the first year Trump was in office. But they were higher in each of the next three years than in 2016, including 80% higher in 2019.
Were deportations under Donald Trump ‘the highest ever’?
No. The most deportations occurred under Democratic predecessors to Trump.
The most repatriations occurred during Bill Clinton’s second term, averaging 1.7 million annually from 1997 through 2000. Trump’s highest was 600,000 in 2020. The largest deportation type under Trump — removal — peaked at 347,280 in 2019. Removals were higher in six of Barack Obama’s eight years.
Inflation
Did inflation in the U.S. rise 40-50% under Biden-Harris?
No. Cumulative inflation since Trump left office in January 2021 through May 2024 was 20.1%. It did not increase more than twice that, as Trump claimed in Racine.
Have housing prices increased significantly since Biden became president?
Yes. Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s claim at a Trump rally was overstated. But in Wisconsin, the median price of a home increased 28% from May 2021 to May 2024 — $246,832 to $315,500.
Abortion
Do some states allow a newborn to be “executed” after birth?
No. Trump’s claim in La Crosse was false. Infanticide is a crime in every state.
Does Trump support tracking miscarriages?
No, Trump has not said that he backs forcing states to track miscarriages. Harris’ claim at the Democratic National Convention was wrong.
Medicare
Has Trump threatened to “slash” Medicare?
No. Trump has repeatedly said during the campaign that he would not cut Medicare. Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez’s statement at the DNC was wrong.
Other topics
Has Harris avoided interviews and news conferences since becoming the nominee?
Yes. Vance was correct when he said in Eau Claire that Harris hadn’t done one two weeks after being nominated. Harris and her running mate sat for an interview with CNN, but she hasn’t done a formal press conference in the more than 50 days since she became the presumptive nominee.
Did the U.S. become the No. 1 producer of oil and natural gas during Trump’s presidency?
No. The claim at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee was overstated. The U.S. became the world’s largest oil producer under Trump, but the largest natural gas producer six years before he became president.
Was Harris once rated the most liberal U.S. senator?
Yes. In 2019, GovTrack.us rated Harris the most liberal senator. That supported a claim by Wisconsin GOP chair Brian Schimming.
Did Donald Trump pay millions of dollars to settle fraud lawsuits against his for-profit college?
Yes. Trump agreed after his 2016 election to pay $25 million, including $21 million to reimburse students, to settle three lawsuits alleging fraud by his for-profit Trump University. Trump did not admit to wrongdoing. Harris, at a rally in West Allis, claimed Trump had “scammed” students.
Check out all of our fact briefs.
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