The 2024 Vice Presidential Debate was a respectful and considerate contrast to recent presidential debates, with both nominees engaging in predominantly on-topic and policy-driven conversations. After years of presidential debates characterized by aggressive partisanship and chaotic confrontations, it was a breath of fresh air to see two individuals competently discuss the plans of their respective presidential candidates, providing clarity on the goals of each administration. Despite this clarity, the debate also led to troubling realizations for the American people about the values and beliefs of the Trump-Vance agenda. 

While immigration was only formally discussed once throughout the debate, J.D. Vance made an effort to weave it throughout nearly every topic. He made it very clear that if he becomes vice president, he will help strengthen border policies with an emphasis on “building the wall” and reimplementing mass-deportation strategies. Vance perpetually blamed immigrants for inflation in the United States and suggested that they are a threat to American jobs. However, it seems that his anti-immigration stance is rooted in a belief that immigrants are criminals who are sex-trafficking children, bringing copious amounts of fentanyl into the United States and committing a number of other violent crimes. These are merely regurgitations of Trump’s infamous xenophobic policies and beliefs. 

From the words of Tim Walz, this perspective “dehumanizes and villainizes other human beings.” Nationalistic ideologies emerge and gain public traction when J.D. Vance and Donald Trump generalize immigrants in a harmful way. It would be more beneficial to facilitate the process of citizenship rather than ramp up deportation methods in the United States. Instead, Vance declares deportation as the only method to rectify any potential problems with immigration in the United States. To blame one group of people for complex issues like inflation and unemployment is hazardous, and broadcasting this idea for millions of people to see gives a concerning amount of power and validation to Vance that will continue to fuel this prejudiced perspective while simultaneously harming immigrants across the United States.

Later than the debate, Vance contributed to widespread election misinformation that was abundant with the close of the 2020 election. He made clear that he objects to any form of censorship whatsoever, claiming that misinformation is an important element of productive conversation. Walz clapped back, claiming that “censorship is ‘not’ stopping someone from saying they want to kill someone,” which exemplifies the limits of the First Amendment that are clearly drawn out in the Constitution. When asked about whether or not Trump lost the 2020 election, Vance could not answer, reverting the conversation back to censorship: “Why are we not talking about censorship?”

Vance’s inability to admit to Donald Trump’s loss illustrates an incredibly frightening reality that Walz hit on perfectly, as he claimed: “Trump knows he could do anything, including taking an election, and his vice president is not going to stand up to it.” Placing a figure of authority into a government that will not hold them accountable for their flaws and lies is the foundation for a fascist government, and it depicts the potential for an unsettling future ahead. If there had not been evidence to prove that the election wasn’t stolen, Vance’s statements would not have been as jarring as they were, but various court cases have confirmed the opposite of Trump’s declarations. Vance’s compliance to Trump’s lies in this debate is only the beginning. 

While these were not the only potentially harmful statements made throughout the debate by J.D. Vance, they act as two areas that further perpetuate the lies Donald Trump has been telling for years. This debate made clear that the election of Trump will only act as a continuation of his xenophobic, racist past—and J.D. Vance has proven he will only be complicit to this danger presented.