Nigel Farage did not so much sweep as creep into Pennsylvania on Friday, for a low-key appearance at a fundraiser for a Trump-supporting Republican Senate candidate that illustrated the toxicity of the US immigration debate.

The former leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip) was in Harveys Lake to attend a private event for Lou Barletta, a Republican congressman who as mayor of nearby Hazleton vowed to make the city “one of the toughest places in the United States”.

Farage’s presence was presumably meant to draw donors for Barletta’s struggling campaign for the US Senate, against the incumbent Democrat Bob Casey. The fundraiser was closed to the press, however, after Barletta spent days distancing himself from the Brexit talisman, whom Casey’s campaign portrayed as an extremist.

Perhaps aware of this, Farage had been unusually reluctant to talk about his latest American adventure.

The party was held at a sprawling one-story home backing on to the lake – which according to neighbour is “extremely deep” – in a picturesque town. The area was mobbed with police officers from at least four departments, fearing protest against both politicians.

But it seemed they may have overestimated the allure of Farage and Barletta. There were no protests and the scale of the police presence – at least 10 cars were stationed near the house – seemed a little heavy. The Guardian was the only media present.

Nonetheless, at 4pm – an hour and a half before the fundraiser was due to begin – officials loaded nine police officers into three boats, to patrol the lakeside entrance.

Farage managed to upset some people before he arrived. The manager of the yacht club next door was unimpressed to be told attendees would be parking their cars on his property. He acted swiftly, hiring a security guard to turn people away.

Instead, a minibus – albeit a high-end one, with blacked-out windows and a driver wearing a bow tie – ferried guests from a church parking lot about half a mile away. For people so eager to attend a party with Nigel Farage, few seemed to want to talk about it. A series of attendees gave the Guardian short shrift.

Nigel Farage enjoys a cigarette during a break in proceedings. Photograph: Eric Davies

Better luck came when Barletta arrived. He was among the first politicians to support Donald Trump’s presidential run, and his backing seems to have extended to adopting the president’s look: white teeth, deep tan.

Barletta was dropped off at 6pm, from a maroon SUV. He strode up to the wooden front door. Unfortunately, guests had been entering via a driveway to the side. As the Senate candidate wavered the Guardian was able to ask him why he was so keen to appear with Farage.

Barletta turned, looking a little bewildered. He seemed about to say something when a police officer, possibly keen to have something to do, sprinted across the road and shouted at the Guardian to get off the driveway.

An hour after the party there had been no sign of Farage. Women in dresses and men in khakis continued to be dropped off while police stood around, trying to escape the sun.

Thankfully, some members of the yacht club, which overlooked the party, were able to confirm Farage had been present. Pictures taken by a college-paper photographer showed the British politician smiling gaily, wearing a double breasted suit, in the company of Barletta and the Mississippi governor, Phil Bryant.

It is unclear what difference Farage’s appearance can make to Barletta’s fortunes. Polls show him running an average of 16 points behind his opponent.

For all the fuss, bluster and policing, those photographs were the only evidence Farage had ever been there.

