President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE on Friday brushed off a question about what evidence he has to support the claim that migrants who are reaching the southern border are "hardened criminals."

"Oh please, don't be a baby. Take a look," Trump said after New York Times reporter Emily Cochrane posed the question as he talked to journalists before attending a rally in Arizona.

The comment from Trump comes as he continually rails against Democrats for current U.S. immigration policies.

I asked President Trump what evidence he had that “hardened criminals” are trying to enter the country. “Oh please, please, don’t be a baby,” was his response. — Emily Cochrane (@ESCochrane) October 20, 2018

Trump at AZ roundtable claims migrants traveling in caravan are “hardened criminals”



Woman reporter asks Trump what evidence he has to support that claim.



Trump replies: “Oh please, don't be a baby” — Jon Passantino (@passantino) October 20, 2018

Reporter asks Trump what evidence he has to back up claims that "hardened criminals" are crossing the US-Mexico border.



Trump: "Oh please, don't be a baby. Take a look." — Jordan Fabian (@Jordanfabian) October 20, 2018

Trump has repeatedly accused Democrats of supporting "open borders" and spoke at length during a rally Thursday in Montana about a so-called "catch and release" policy allowing some migrants who reach the U.S. to stay.

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"We have to take those people in even if they are criminals. And we have hardened criminals coming in. You think those people are perfect? They're not perfect. We have some bad people coming in, and by law, we have to take them in and then we have to -- it's called 'catch and release,' you ever hear this one?" he said.

The president has ratcheted up his immigration-related rhetoric heading into the final weeks of campaigning before the November midterms.

This week he has taken increasing issue with a band of approximately 4,000 Central Americans heading toward the U.S.-Mexico border.

“I am watching the Democrat Party led (because they want Open Borders and existing weak laws) assault on our country by Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, whose leaders are doing little to stop this large flow of people, INCLUDING MANY CRIMINALS, from entering Mexico to U.S.,” Trump tweeted on Thursday.

Trump also has threatened to send the military to the southern border to prevent further migration.

“As you know I’m willing to send the military to defend our southern border if necessary, all caused because of the illegal immigration onslaught brought by the Democrats because they refuse to acknowledge or change the laws,” he said during a rally in Montana.