During his immigration speech Wednesday night, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump took a page out of the Left's playbook by attempting to tug at the audience's heartstrings. He did so by mentioning the stories of five people who were killed by illegal immigrants.

"Countless Americans who have died in recent years would be alive today if not for the open border policies of this administration and the administration that causes this horrible, horrible thought process. It's called Hillary Clinton [um, what?]" Trump said.

Seriously, though, what did he mean by the "thought process … called Hillary Clinton?" Did I hear that wrong?

Anyway, Trump first brought up Sarah Root, who was hit by an illegal immigrant who had been drinking and racing his car. Root had graduated from Bellevue University the day before.

He called President Barack Obama's – and by extension, Hillary Clinton's – policy toward illegal immigration "weak, weak, weak" and "weak and foolish."

Next, Trump mentioned Grant Ronnebeck, a 21-year-old convenience store clerk who was shot in the head after an illegal immigrant demanded cigarettes. Trump also brought up the case of Kate Steinle, who was killed in the sanctuary city of San Francisco. Sanctuary cities openly flout federal law when it comes to the deportation of illegal immigrants.

Trump then moved on to the murder of Earl Olander, a 90-year-old farmer who was beaten to death by two illegal immigrants. Finally, Trump mentioned Marilyn Pharis, a 64-year-old woman who was raped and beaten with a hammer in her home by an illegal immigrant.

Later during the event, Trump brought out onto the stage the families of others who had been murdered by illegal immigrants. Some of the parents spoke quickly, or had difficulty speaking, as one-by-one they endorsed Trump.

Ashe Schow is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.