Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to visit Orange County this weekend, according to several local officials.
The White House has not officially confirmed the visit, but Democrat Vicente Salmiento, an Orange County supervisor, told KTLA’s Chip Yost on Friday that Vance’s advance team was in the area on Thursday.
Salmiento, who attended a food drive at a local high school in the Garden Grove, expressed his dissatisfaction with the visit, characterising it as “aggressive” to the local immigrant community.
“I am as angry about the visit as many families are terrified by federal policies,” Salmiento said. He said the policy has led people to skip medical visits, refraining from participating in commercial activities, and keeping children indoors.
On his personal social media, Salmiento shared a post in which Vance said he was “unwelcome.”
“If he had a change of heart, we would accept him,” he said.
Republican Orange County supervisor Don Wagner offered a more tempered response and acknowledged Salmiento’s concerns, but encouraged dialogue rather than division.
“I think it’s an opportunity to throw a wider net rather than casting stones,” Wagner said. “We had questions about the ice operation in Santa Ana. This could be a change to get involved rather than leaving.”
Vance is scheduled to arrive at John Wayne Airport, but no public schedule has been announced. According to Sarmiento, Vance may be visiting the county on a leisure trip.
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