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Washington — Republican Donald Trump told a motorcycle rally on Sunday that people in the US illegally often were cared for better than the nation’s military veterans, without backing up his allegation. “Thousands of people are dying waiting in line to see a doctor. That’s not going to happen anymore,” Trump told veterans gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial as part of the annual Rolling Thunder event, which brings thousands of motorcyclists to Washington each Memorial Day weekend.

Trump has repeated his comparison of the treatment of immigrants and veterans frequently during the campaign. Congress and many states have written an assortment of laws and policies designed to restrict government services to people living in the country illegally.

The Veterans Affairs Department, meanwhile, has come under criticism and congressional scrutiny for a number of failures, from cutting off benefits of thousands of veterans who were wrongly declared dead to chronically long wait times for medical services at VA health care sites. As many as 40 patients died while awaiting care at the Phoenix VA hospital alone.

The Rolling Thunder event is organised to draw attention to veterans’ issues and dedicated to remembering prisoners of war and service members missing in action.

“We’re with you 100 percent,” Trump told the crowd.

Trump, now the presumptive Republican nominee for president, angered veterans last year when he said he liked “people who weren’t captured” in wars. That had been a dig at Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., the party’s 2008 nominee, who had been captured and held for more than five years during the Vietnam War after his plane was shot down. Trump claimed that McCain was a “war hero because he was captured.”

Trump quickly tried to walk back the comment but has refused to apologise to McCain.

Many veterans groups were furious, but since then Trump has worked to try to repair the damage. He frequently honours veterans at his rallies and he has come out with a plan to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs. He also held a fundraiser for veterans’ causes in place of an Iowa debate that he skipped.

Still, Trump, who avoided the draft through a series of deferments, drew scrutiny for not immediately distributing the $6m he’d claimed to raise, including $1m he’d pledged himself.

He is expected to hold a news conference today to announce the names of the charities selected to receive the money.

Meanwhile, Trump told California voters on Friday that he can solve their water crisis, declaring, “There’s no drought.”

Speaking at a rally in Fresno, California, Trump accused state officials of denying water to Central Valley farmers so they can send it out to sea “to protect a certain kind of three-inch fish”.

“We’re going to solve your water problem. You’ve a water problem that’s so insane. It’s so ridiculous where they’re taking the water and shoving it out to sea,” Trump said at a rally that drew thousands.

California is, in fact, in midst of a drought. Last year capped the state’s driest four-year period in its history, with record low rainfall and snow.

The comments came a day after Trump outlined an energy policy plan that relies heavily on expanding US fossil fuel exploration and reducing environmental regulations.

He held a pair of rallies on Friday in Fresno and San Diego as he closed a campaign swing through the west, drawing vocal crowds of protesters, many carrying signs critical of Trump’s plan to wall off the US border with Mexico.

About a thousand Trump foes demonstrated outside San Diego’s convention centre as Trump spoke inside to an enthusiastic crowd of supporters packed in tight. Police said they made about a dozen arrests, including one man who climbed a railing separating protesters from officers. His arrest led protesters to spray water and throw empty plastic bottles at police.

In another tense exchange, police shoved back demonstrators to separate them from Trump supporters when they left the centre after the rally.

Officers in riot gear declared the gathering outside the convention centre unlawful after shouting matches erupted and people began hurling trash at each other.

Inside, the mood was far less charged, as Trump took repeated jabs at Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. He also went on defence against negative media stories and an ongoing lawsuit against his now-defunct Trump University.