Gage Skidmore CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED, via Flickr / Gage Skidmore CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED, via Flickr, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

Former President Donald Trump has secured the endorsement of one of Michigan's largest police unions as he seeks to solidify support in the critical battleground state ahead of the 2024 election.

The Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM) threw its support behind Trump following his remarks at an event with law enforcement in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Tuesday.

POAM President James Tignanelli pointed to the ongoing border crisis under the Biden administration as a primary reason for the union's decision to endorse Trump for the presidency. Notably, POAM had previously endorsed Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections.

“Why would you expect people to obey the law when millions are rewarded for disobeying it?” questioned Tignanelli before announcing the union's endorsement of Trump. “We need you to make America look great again.”

“We were proud and proud to do it,” Tignanelli continued. “We were there in 2020. And I'll tell you, we're here in 2024. And today, on behalf of 12,000 law enforcement people that the Police Officers Association of Michigan represent, we want you to accept our endorsement for president of the United States.”

Tignanelli also praised Trump's recent presence at the wake of slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller, highlighting how Trump's actions “brought honor to every police officer, every deputy sheriff, every law enforcement officer.”

“Wherever we were in this country, when we saw what you did … that’s a boost for all of us,” remarked Tignanelli.

Tignanelli stressed the crucial need for unwavering support for law enforcement, stating, “Police officers just need to know they've got somebody behind them a little bit instead of trying to push them backwards, pushing them forward. I think that'll help to restore the honor to this job. I can promise you that our guys will put on that suit and go out and do the job for you. They really will, and they'll be better for all of the people in this room.”

Responding to the endorsement, Trump expressed gratitude, saying, “Thank you very much. That's very nice. That's a great honor. And thank you very much. And we will, we will make you proud.”

POAM's endorsement came shortly after Trump addressed the tragic murder of 25-year-old Ruby Garcia, a Grand Rapids woman allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant last month.

Garcia's body was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds on the side of a highway in late March before Ortiz-Vite was apprehended and charged just days later.

During his remarks on “Biden's border bloodbath,” Trump discussed the case of the suspect, Brandon Ortiz-Vite, also 25, who was deported under his administration before re-entering the U.S. illegally. Garcia's body was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds on the side of a highway in late March before Ortiz-Vite was apprehended and charged just days later.

Trump conveyed his condolences to Garcia's family, who are now “left grieving for this incredible young woman.”

The former president emphasized that “every state is now a border state, every town is now a border town because Joe Biden has brought the carnage and chaos and killing from all over the world and dumped it straight into our backyards.”

Addressing Diller's family, Trump stated, “I do want to thank the family of because I met with Stephanie. That's Jonathan’s beautiful wife Jonathan Diller and I met with the whole family. These are incredible people. What happened to Jonathan should never have happened. And they were just devastated.”

While POAM's third endorsement of Trump was anticipated, the support from this 12,000-member-strong police union in the crucial battleground state of Michigan marks another victory for the former president as he seeks to leverage his current momentum into November.

Trump currently leads Biden in Michigan by more than three percentage points according to RealClearPolitics data. He notably clinched the state over Hillary Clinton in 2016 before ceding it to Biden in 2020.