Daily News Lesson

SHOW ALL

July 19, 2024, 11:49 a.m.

Trump claims 'greatest invasion in history' happening at southern border

SUMMARY

In his speech accepting the nomination for president at the Republican National Convention (RNC), former President Donald Trump incorrectly claimed an invasion is taking place on the southern U.S. border and exaggerated his record in office on issues of immigration and trafficking.

Directions: In addition to watching the RNC highlights above, watch the clip on the border wall here (55-sec)and immigration here (6-min).

Read this Politifact story as a fact check to Trump's speech on these two issues.

News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.

WARM-UP QUESTIONS

  1. What were some of the highlights from the Republican National Convention?
  2. What does Donald Trump say he will do if he were elected president again?
  3. Who does Trump claim is to blame for an increase in illegal immigration? Where does Trump claim immigrants from other countries are coming from? (See clip here. Note: There is no evidence to back up this claim).
  4. How does Trump say he plans to end the illegal immigration crisis?
  5. When is the 2024 presidential election?

FOCUS QUESTIONS

What was your impression of the highlights video of the RNC? What stood out to you?

Why do you think Donald Trump refers to immigration at the southern border as "the greatest invasion in history"? Do you think that people migrating to the United States in large numbers hurts the country? Explain your response.

Media literacy: Have you seen reports on illegal immigration in other media? Why do think illegal immigration is such a controversial topic?

Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?

FOR MORE

What students can do:

WATCH: Trump says his foreign policy will 'bring stability to the world'

What do you think about Trump's foreign policy? Do you think it can be effective in bringing "stability to the world"? Discuss the debate with a friend, classmate or neighbor. What conclusions do you draw?

To watch the whole speech, click here (1h:35m long)."


This post was written by Gianfranco Beran, a senior at Amherst College, and an intern with PBS NewsHour Classroom, and edited by NewsHour's Vic Pasquantonio.

Fill out this form to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources.

Recent Daily News Lessons

future

Daily News Lesson

National Youth Poet Laureate Daniel Umemezie on using his words to bridge worlds

Learn about a National Youth Poet Laureate committed to inspiring other young creatives

Screenshot 2026-07-16 at 10.42.10 AM

Daily News Lesson

'Post-literate age': Why fewer Americans are reading for pleasure

Discuss why reading habits have changed among students, with growing concerns that this notable decline may extend to the general population

Screenshot 2026-07-15 at 10.46.29 AM

Daily News Lesson

Ousted Election Assistance Commission chair on Trump's effort to control voting

Recent shifts in the function of the federal bipartisan agency have sparked debate over the reliability of voting polls this coming election

outbreak

Daily News Lesson

What we know about the cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to produce

Learn about the current cyclosporiasis outbreak is presenting challenges for public health experts nationwide

SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:

PBS News Hour Classroom

Copyright © 2025 News Hour Production LLC. All Rights Reserved

Illustrations by Annamaria Ward