The presidential candidates made a lot of claims in Wisconsin. Here are the facts.

Wisconsin’s swing-state status has driven the presidential candidates to visit the state often ahead of the Nov. 5, 2024, election — and it has driven Wisconsin Watch to fact-check many of the claims they’ve made here.

Our fact briefs, in partnership with Gigafact, centered on statements about Kamala Harris and Donald Trump over immigration, health care and the economy. 

Some of those claims hit the mark; many did not. 

Here’s a look at claims related to three of the top issues voters say they are focused on in this election.

(And be sure to share the video versions of our fact briefs from Wisconsin Watch’s Trisha Young.)

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Economy

No, the U.S. is not producing more energy than it consumes for the first time since the 1950s because of Biden-Harris policies: That occurred in 2019, before Joe Biden and Harris took office. Increased production was “largely a result of increases in crude oil and natural gas production,” the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported.

Yes, Wisconsin housing prices increased nearly 30% during the Biden-Harris administration: The median price rose 26% from January 2021 to January 2024 — $210,000 to $265,000; and 28% from May 2021 to May 2024 — $246,832 to $315,500.

Yes, real wages increased under Trump more than any other modern president: Real wages — wages adjusted for inflation — increased 7% under Trump, the highest increase over one presidential term since the 1970s.

Immigration

No, Harris did not say she wants to let undocumented immigrants vote: She has campaigned supporting “an earned pathway to citizenship,” but hasn’t provided details. Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections.

No, more terrorists have not entered the U.S. under Harris than in the previous 30 years: One expert told Congress that of the 230 foreign-born people accused of U.S. domestic terrorism from 1975 to 2023, nine entered illegally, including three as children.

No, the Biden-Harris administration did not let more than 400,000 people convicted of crimes enter the U.S.: New data cited by Trump count the number of noncitizens convicted of crimes who entered the U.S. over roughly 40 years, not only under Biden-Harris.

Yes, the Biden-Harris administration attempted to suspend some deportations upon taking office: The administration announced a 100-day suspension of the removal of certain undocumented immigrants on the day Biden was inaugurated. However, a judge blocked the “pause” days later.

No, 25 million undocumented immigrants did not enter the U.S. and stay during the Biden-Harris administration: U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 10 million migrant encounters — one person one or more times — from February 2021 through July 2024. However, millions were turned away, returned or deported.

No, illegal immigration did not drop 90% under Trump: Southwest border encounters decreased 43% in 2017, the first year Trump was in office. But they were higher in each of the next three years than in 2016, including 80% higher in 2019.

Health care

Yes, Harris supported taxpayer-funded gender-affirming surgery for inmates and detainees: She advocated for such policies as a 2020 presidential candidate and earlier, though has been vague in the 2024 campaign.

Yes, Harris supported providing government health care to undocumented immigrants: In her previous presidential run, she proposed Medicare for All to cover all Americans, including undocumented immigrants, in one government health plan.

No, Trump has not said he plans to force states to report miscarriages: The Project 2025 policy initiative, which Trump has distanced himself from, calls for the federal government to “ensure that every state reports exactly how many abortions take place” and “ensure that statistics are separated by category,” including spontaneous miscarriage.

No, Trump is not “threatening to slash Medicare”: He has repeatedly said during the 2024 campaign that he would not cut Medicare.

No, Trump does not want to criminalize women who get an abortion: Trump has said states should decide whether, in certain instances, to prosecute women who get an abortion.

This article first appeared on Wisconsin Watch and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.