The Latest: Trump suggests US ‘close up’ to stop immigrants

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local):

1:40 p.m.

President Donald Trump is criticizing U.S. immigration policies during a business roundtable in Cleveland.

Trump says people entering the U.S. illegally are taking advantage of “catch-and-release” policies and don’t show up for their immigration court dates. He says: “We may have to close up our country to get this straight.”

Trump says the U.S. has “thousands” of immigration judges, adding, “Do you think other countries have judges,” seeming to imply that they have no need for them.

He says of the immigrants that “they never show up to the trial.”

Trump is reiterating his call to build a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico, and says Mexico should have done more to prevent a large group of Central American migrants from reaching the U.S. border last month.

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1:35 p.m.

President Donald Trump is calling on Ohio voters to elect Republican lawmaker Jim Renacci to the Senate, saying “we need his vote very badly.”

Renacci, a member of the House, is running for the Senate against Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown. Trump says: “He’ll be fantastic.”

Trump’s comments come as he hosts a roundtable with Ohio business owners in Cleveland as he looks to highlight the benefits of the GOP tax law.

Renacci greeted Trump on the tarmac in Cleveland and is sitting next to Trump at the event.

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11:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump is meeting with supporters and highlighting the benefits of the Republican tax law in Cleveland.

Trump is in Ohio on Saturday to attend a fundraiser for the Republican National Committee, meeting first with high-dollar givers and then addressing a larger group of about 250 donors. The RNC says Trump is raising $3 million.

Trump is also participating in a roundtable with small business owners who are expected to discuss how the tax law affects them.

Trump’s visit comes as Republicans are facing an increasingly challenging midterm election environment.

Ohio has several competitive races this November. The GOP is placing its election hopes on convincing Americans that the tax law is improving their lives, as the party seeks to skirt political headwinds emanating from the White House.