'Immigrants for Kamala' rally showcases De Niro, Pelosi criticizing Trump on immigration.

This week, former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio hosted a three-hour "Paisans for Kamala" virtual dinner in support of Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential bid, with staunch Trump critic Robert De Niro headlining the event.

Paul Mercurio, a comedian who works on Stephen Colbert's CBS late-night program, co-hosted the event with De Blasio.

At the livestream event, several high-profile Italian Americans praised Vice President Harris, while criticizing former President Trump's immigration policies from the perspective of their children or grandchildren.

One Italian-American official's childhood home was visited by De Blasio, who stated it was an intentional trip.

We recently embarked on a brief pilgrimage to Little Italy in Baltimore, specifically to the childhood home of Nancy D’Alesandro-Pelosi, the former mayor mentioned, while also sharing the visit on X, posing with Maryland State Sen. James Rosapepe, D-Laurel.

"As Italian-Americans, we want to be a family and bring everyone together for these amazing candidates, as expressed through our dinner," de Blasio said.

De Niro was informed by Mercurio that Trump has "tapped into something" that has united his base with him.

De Niro, who previously stated that he wanted to punch Trump, admitted to having heard some of Trump's supporters.

The actor stated that he could see a clear advantage for them in working with someone other than Trump, as Trump does not provide anything.

"In other countries and societies, people have tried to control individuals like him, but God forbid he becomes the leader, those who thought they could control him will discover the truth."

Former Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, who stated that his maternal side is "fully Italian," attended the dinner wearing a "White Dudes for Harris" hat and discussed the qualities he believes Harris possesses.

In a nod to a 2014 controversy, De Blasio ate a slice of pizza with a fork.

De Blasio maintained that his stance on eating a pie is still accurate.

Leon Panetta, a former CIA Director, stated his support for Harris, citing Trump's apparent isolationist tendencies as a reason. He argued that such behavior had not been successful in the past, leading up to World War II.

The significance of presidents opposing tyrants rather than accommodating them was emphasized by him.

Actor Steve Buscemi praised Harris for accurately portraying a character with immigrant roots.

"Immigrants primarily seek improved lives and chances, and they shouldn't be penalized for chasing their aspirations," Buscemi stated. "Kamala Harris is intelligent, powerful, compassionate, and inclusive."

Pelosi recounted how her family lived in Little Italy, Baltimore, for multiple generations when she appeared at the dinner.

Pelosi stated that her grandfather and his contemporaries arrived here with the belief that the streets would be paved in gold, but they ended up paving the streets themselves, a fact her father and grandfather, both named Thomas D'Alesandro, had not anticipated.

The race is crucial due to various reasons, including Trump's stance on immigrants, and we must not underestimate its significance.

Pelosi referenced a speech by former President Reagan, emphasizing that she was quoting a Republican, and stated that he recognized the Statue of Liberty as a "symbol of hope" in his speech.

She stated that she quoted the quote to Republicans, who did not clap: "Did you not clap for Ronald Reagan?"

One of Trump's former officials, who had previously disagreed with him, unexpectedly showed up at the dinner towards its end.

Anthony Scaramucci, the former White House communications director, joked to de Blasio, "Imagine me, you, and Dick Cheney supporting Vice President Harris together."

He pledged $5,000 to Paisans for Harris after stating that he could imagine the systemic danger of a potential reelection of Donald Trump.

The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment.