Trump's Immigration Focus: A Strategy for the 2024 Election
October 19, 2024, 4:24 pm

Trump's Immigration Focus: A Strategy for the 2024 Election

ترامب \ تعبيرية \ متداول

In Georgia, specifically in Atlanta, former American President and Republican candidate for the U.S. elections, Donald Trump, turned his back to the crowd, staring at the screen as somber music played. For the next minute and a half, the former president and his audience silently watched clips of news reports about illegal immigrants committing horrific crimes. When the montage concluded, Trump loudly stated what he had been telling his advisors privately for weeks: emphasizing that immigration is "the number one" issue in the 2024 elections.

After the video presentation on immigration, Trump said on Tuesday night, "The United States is now an occupied country. But November 5, 2024, will be America's Day of Liberation."

In the final weeks of the campaign that the former president has been running since his first year out of office, Trump is following his instincts, reinforcing the rhetoric he believes won him the 2016 election by using immigration and borders to shape the core of his closing message to voters. However, these instincts conflict with data and some of his advisors' perspectives, according to the New York Times.

Trump told his aides that he defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016 due to border issues, but by 2020 the border situation had been fixed, with illegal crossings greatly reduced partly due to the coronavirus pandemic, meaning Trump could not leverage it as an issue against Joe Biden.

He believes immigration, now more than ever, is a political message following record levels of border crossings under Joe Biden and the Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Yet, neither public nor private polls support Trump's theory about the race. Voters often rank the economy and the rising cost of living as the most pressing concerns.

In recent days, Trump has spent a significant amount of time and energy on economic-themed events, proposing to make car loan benefits fully tax-deductible and offering tax breaks for companies and other benefits if they move their manufacturing to the U.S.

However, Trump draws energy from his rallies and the reactions he receives regarding immigration, reinforcing his belief that the issue resonates better with voters than the economy. When he launches a strong attack on immigration policies, Trump becomes vigorous and receives a similarly vibrant response from the audience and the press compared to the lukewarm reception he gets when discussing grocery prices, taxes, or tariffs.

Trump has told allies that he believes crowds feel "bored" when he talks too much about the economy, according to someone close to him. Now, Trump has a new reason to focus on this issue, as he has informed crowds at campaign rallies and those close to him that his opposition to illegal immigration has saved his life.

In Butler, Pennsylvania, in July, Trump turned to look at a chart of illegal border crossings on the screen at the same moment a bullet from a potential shooter missed his skull by less than an inch, grazing his ear. He stated in front of a crowd in Aurora, Colorado, "If you think about it, my opposition to illegal immigration saved my life."

Some of Trump's supporters fear his more extreme rhetoric on immigration, such as his baseless claim that Haitian migrants eat cats and dogs, could alienate moderate voters he needs to support him.

Trump continues to push his advisors for more immigration-related content to reinforce his closing campaign message.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.