- Immigration
« President Trump Remarks on
Modernizing Our Immigration System
Remarks by President Trump on Modernizing Our Immigration System for a Stronger America
Rose Garden
May 16, 2019
2:35 P.M. EDT
THE
PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you.
Please. Thank you. Thank you very much.
We’re
here on this very beautiful spring day in the Rose Garden to unveil our
plan to create a fair, modern, and lawful system of immigration for the
United States. And it’s about time. (Applause.)
If
adopted, our plan will transform America’s immigration system into the
pride of our nation and the envy of the modern world. Our
proposal builds upon our nation’s rich history of immigration, while
strengthening the bonds of citizenship that bind us together as a
national family.
Throughout
our history, we have proudly welcomed newcomers to our shores.
Out of many people, from many places, we have forged one people and one
nation under God, and we’re very proud of it. (Applause.)
We share the same home, we share the same destiny, and we pledge
allegiance to the same, great American flag. (Applause.)
Our
policies have turbo-charged our economy. Now, we must implement
an immigration system that will allow our citizens to prosper for
generations to come.
Today,
we are presenting a clear contrast: Democrats are proposing open
borders, lower wages, and, frankly, lawless chaos. We are
proposing an immigration plan that puts the jobs, wages, and safety of
American workers first. (Applause.)
Our
proposal is pro-American, pro-immigrant, and pro-worker. It’s
just common sense. It will help all of our people, including
millions of devoted immigrants, to achieve the American Dream.
We
are grateful to be joined this afternoon by a tremendous number of
people from the House, the Senate, and my Cabinet. And I love you
all, but I won’t introduce you all because I’ll be here all day
long. (Laughter.) But you’re all here.
Our
plan achieves two critical goals. First, it stops illegal
immigration and fully secures the border. And, second, it
establishes a new legal immigration system that protects American
wages, promotes American values, and attracts the best and brightest
from all around the world.
The
proposal begins with the most complete and effective border security
package ever assembled by our country — or any other country, for that
matter. (Applause.) It’s so important.
This
plan was not developed, I’m sorry to say, by politicians. We have
a lot of politicians. But you respect the people and you know the
people that have developed this plan. It was designed with
significant input from our great law enforcement professionals to
detail what they need to make our border — which is 100 percent
operationally secure. One hundred percent.
Everyone
agrees that the physical infrastructure on the border and the ports of
entry is gravely underfunded and woefully inadequate. We scan
only a small fraction of the vehicles, goods, and all of the other
things coming across, including people. And, sadly, the drugs
pour across our border. We’re going to stop it.
Investment
in technology will ensure we can scan 100 percent of everything coming
through, curbing the flow of drugs and contraband, while speeding up
legal trade and commerce. It’s the most heavily traded —
monetarily — border anywhere in the world, and it’s not even close.
To
make certain that we are constantly making the upgrades we need, our
proposal creates a permanent and self-sustaining border security trust
fund. This will be financed by the fees and revenues generated at
the border crossings itself.
Importantly,
we’re already building the wall, and we should have close to 400 miles
built by the end of next year, and probably even more than that.
It’s going up very rapidly. (Applause.)
And
I want to thank the Army Corps of Engineers. They’re doing a
fantastic job on the wall. And that’s a wall that is desperately
needed.
As
we close the gaps in our physical framework, we must also close the
gaps in our legal framework. Critical to ending the border crisis
is removing all incentives for smuggling women and children.
Current law — (applause). That’s right. That’s right.
Women and children. People have no idea how bad it is unless
you’re there, and unless you are a member of law enforcement.
They see it every day, and they can’t believe what they see.
Current
law and federal court rulings encourage criminal organizations to
smuggle children across the border. The tragic result is that 65
percent of all border-crossers this year were either minors or adults
traveling with minors. Our plan will change the law to stop the
flood of child smuggling and to humanely reunite unaccompanied children
with their families back home — and rapidly. As soon as
possible. (Applause.)
We
must also restore the integrity of our broken asylum system. Our
nation has a proud history of affording protection to those fleeing
government persecutions. Unfortunately, legitimate asylum seekers
are being displaced by those lodging frivolous claims — these are
frivolous claims — to gain admission into our country.
Asylum
abuse also strains our public school systems, our hospitals, and local
shelters, using funds that we should, and that have to, go to elderly
veterans, at-risk youth, Americans in poverty, and those in genuine
need of protection. We’re using the funds that should be going to
them. And that shouldn’t happen. And it’s not going to
happen in a very short period of time. Have to get this approved.
My
plan expedites relief for legitimate asylum seekers by screening out
the meritless claims. If you have a proper claim, you will
quickly be admitted; if you don’t, you will promptly be returned home.
Crucially
— (applause) — our plan closes loopholes in federal law to make clear
that gang members and criminals are inadmissible. These are some
of the worst people anywhere in the world — MS-13 and others.
Inadmissible. Not coming in. We’re taking them out all the
time by the thousands, a year, but they come in. They are no
longer admissible. And for criminals already here, we will ensure
their swift deportation. (Applause.)
We
will keep our communities safe. Americans can have complete and
total confidence that under this plan, the borders will finally be
fully and totally secured. (Applause.)
And
I know a number of our Republican friends and others — Lindsey, I see
you sitting right there, and Steve, you’re working on a plan — an
immediate plan. A smaller plan, but a very immediate plan to stop
it as of this afternoon. So, as fast as you can get something
done. This is the big, beautiful, bold plan, but we need
something very quickly. And if you can get it done, that would be
fantastic. Okay? Thank you. (Applause.)
Appreciate you working on it.
A
topic of less discussion in national media, but of vital importance to
our country, is our legal immigration system itself. Our plan
includes a sweeping modernization of our dysfunctional legal
immigration process. It is totally dysfunctional. The
system will finally be fair, transparent, and promote equality and
opportunity for all.
Every
year, we admit 1.1 million immigrants as permanent legal
residents. These green card holders get lifetime authorization to
live and work here and a five-year path to American citizenship.
This is the most prized citizenship anywhere in the world, by far.
Currently,
66 percent of legal immigrants come here on the basis of random
chance. They’re admitted solely because they have a relative in
the United States. And it doesn’t really matter who that relative
is. Another 21 percent of immigrants are issued either by random
lottery, or because they are fortunate enough to be selected for
humanitarian relief.
Random
selection is contrary to American values and blocks out many qualified
potential immigrants from around the world who have much to
contribute. While countless — and you wouldn’t believe how many
countries, like Canada, create a clear path for top talent.
America does not.
Under
the senseless rules of the current system, we’re not able to give
preference to a doctor, a researcher, a student who graduated number
one in his class from the finest colleges in the world — anybody.
We’re not able to take care of it. We’re not able to make those
incredible breakthroughs. If somebody graduates top of their
class from the best college, sorry, go back to your country. We
want to keep them here.
Companies
are moving offices to other countries because our immigration rules
prevent them from retaining highly skilled and even, if I might,
totally brilliant people. We discriminate against genius.
We discriminate against brilliance. We won’t anymore, once we get
this passed. And we hope to get it passed as soon as
possible. (Applause.)
Some
of the most skilled students at our world-class universities are going
back home because they have no relatives to sponsor them here in the
United States. And that’s the only way. We want these
exceptional students and workers to stay, and flourish, and thrive in
America. (Applause.) Thank you.
As
a result of our broken rules, the annual green card flow is mostly
low-wage and low-skilled. Newcomers compete for jobs against the
most vulnerable Americans and put pressure on our social safety net and
generous welfare programs.
Only
12 percent of legal immigrants are selected based on skill or based on
merit. In countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand — and
others — that number is closer to 60 and even 70 and 75 percent, in
some cases.
The
biggest change we make is to increase the proportion of highly skilled
immigration from 12 percent to 57 percent, and we’d like to even see if
we can go higher. (Applause.) This will bring us in line
with other countries and make us globally competitive.
At
the same time, we prioritize the immediate family of new Americans —
spouses and children. The loved ones you choose to build a life
with, we prioritize. And we have to do that. They go right
to the front of the line. Right to the front of the line, where
they should be. (Applause.)
America’s
last major overhaul of our legal admissions policy was 54 years
ago. Think of that. So a major update — and that’s what
this is: merit system and a heart system — is long overdue.
The
millions of legal immigrants who have come to America over the past
half century are now cherished members of our national family.
Going forward — (applause) — it is their interest, and in their
interest, and their children’s interest, to adopt a green card system
that promotes a rising standard of living for all of our citizens.
Three
in four new jobs at the end of last year went to Americans previously
out of the workforce. Our economy is better probably than it ever
has been in the history of our country. (Applause.) And
because of that great economy, we’re able to do things that nobody ever
thought possible before, and that’s what we’re going to do for
immigration, finally.
Wages
are rising but our current immigration system works at cross-purposes,
placing downward pressure on wages for the working class, which is what
we don’t want to do.
Last
year, we also passed historic criminal justice reform.
(Applause.) And we had tremendous backing — bipartisan — from
Democrats, Republicans, conservatives, liberals. I guess we could
also use the word “progressives.” A new word that’s come about.
Americans
with criminal records are getting a second chance at life in higher
numbers than ever before. Unfortunately, the current immigration
rules allow foreign workers to substitute for Americans seeking
entry-level jobs. So, foreign workers are coming in and they’re
taking the jobs that would normally go to American workers.
America’s
immigration system should bring in people who will expand opportunity
for striving, low-income Americans, not to compete with those
low-income Americans. (Applause.)
Our
proposal fulfills our sacred duty to those living here today, while
ensuring America remains a welcoming country to immigrants joining us
tomorrow. And we want immigrants coming in. We cherish the
open door that we want to create for our country, but a big proportion
of those immigrants must come in through merit and skill.
(Applause.)
The
White House plan makes no change to the number of green cards allocated
each year. But instead of admitting people through random chance,
we will establish simple, universal criteria for admission to the
United States. No matter where in the world you’re born, no
matter who your relatives are, if you want to become an American
citizen, it will be clear exactly what standard we ask you to
achieve. It will be made crystal clear. (Applause.)
This
will increase the diversity of immigration flows into our
country. We will replace the existing green card categories with
a new visa, the Build America visa — which is what we all want to
hear. (Applause.)
Like
Canada and so many other modern countries, we create an
easy-to-navigate points-based selection system. You will get more
points for being a younger worker, meaning you will contribute more to
our social safety net. You will get more points for having a
valuable skill, an offer of employment, an advanced education, or a
plan to create jobs.
We
lose people that want to start companies, and, in many cases, they’re
forced to leave our country; go back, usually, to the country where
they came from; and they’ll start up companies, and some of those
companies are among the biggest and most successful companies today in
the world. They could’ve started them right here in the United
States, where they wanted to do it in the first place. Now
they’ll have a chance. (Applause.)
Priority
will also be given to higher-wage workers, ensuring we never undercut
American labor. To protect benefits for American citizens,
immigrants must be financially self-sufficient.
Finally,
to promote integration, assimilation, and national unity, future
immigrants will be required to learn English and to pass a civics exam
prior to admission. (Applause.)
Through
these steps, we will deliver an immigration system that respects, and
even strengthens, our culture, our traditions, and our values.
Four
months ago, I had the honor of participating in a swearing-in ceremony
for new Americans, right here in the Oval Office. It was a
beautiful reminder that American citizenship is the most precious gift
our nation has to offer. When we swear in new citizens, we do
more than give them a permit; we give them a history, a heritage, a
home, and a future of limitless possibilities and potential.
Our
nation used to pride ourselves on this capacity: our unique ability to
instill the spirit of America into any human heart, into any human
being. Many of the Democrats have claimed to be for these
concepts at different times in their careers and, in many cases, in
very recent history. And I hope that they will end up joining me
and all of the people gathered together today in putting politics
aside, putting security and wages first, and pursuing these historic
reforms. It’s time. (Applause.)
And
if for some reason — possibly political — we can’t get the Democrats to
approve this merit-based, high-security plan, then we will get it
approved immediately after the election, when we take back the House,
keep the Senate, and, of course, hold the presidency.
(Applause.) Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
But
wouldn’t it be nice to do it sooner than that? (Laughter.)
But it’s not a very long time, is it? Sixteen months.
One
of the reasons we will win is because of our strong, fair, and
pro-America immigration policy. It’s time to restore our national
unity and reaffirm our national purpose. It is time to rebuild
our country for all Americans.
Together,
we will create an immigration system to make America safer, and
stronger, and greater than ever before.
Thank
you. God bless you all. Thank you very much.
(Applause.) Thank you.
END
2:59
P.M. EDT
"It is time to begin moving towards a merit-based immigration system—one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society, and who will love and respect our country."
President Donald J. Trump
BORDER SECURITY AND MERIT-BASED REFORM: President Donald J. Trump is proposing a pro-American, pro-immigrant, and pro-worker approach to immigration by fully securing the border and moving our outdated legal immigration system to a competitive, merit-based system.
President Trump’s goals for a modern immigration system are to:
- Fully Secure the border
- Protect American wages
- Attract and retain the best and brightest talent
- Prioritize immediate families
- Strengthen our workforce
- Preserve our humanitarian values
- The crisis at our border is at a breaking point: Approximately one million aliens are projected to arrive at the border this year alone, and more than 100,000 aliens have arrived each of the past two months.
- The President’s proposal establishes a self-sustaining and renewable border security fund that will:
- Fully secure the border
- Ensure 100 percent inspection of people and good at ports of entry
- Stop drugs, contraband, and counterfeit goods
- Facilitate faster trade
- The President proposal will safeguard our homeland by continuing to add to the 400-plus miles of border wall underway in strategic locations.
- The proposal will also enable public donations for the wall.
- The President’s proposal will fully empower immigration officials to protect American communities, including by strengthening their ability to remove criminal aliens and alien gang members.
- The President’s proposal will restore integrity to our broken asylum system and close legal loopholes to address the driving forces behind the humanitarian crisis at our southern border.
- The proposal will strengthen our asylum system and expedite the review process for immigrants seeking asylum.
- The President’s proposal will change the law to stop the flood of child smuggling and to rapidly reunite unaccompanied children with their families back home.
- Structural changes to immigration agencies will improve coordination and enforcement to combat longstanding problems, such as visa overstays.
- The President’s proposal will ensure that all employees are legally authorized to work.
PRIORITIZING MERIT OVER CHANCE: The President’s proposal will put our country’s interests first by moving to a merit-based immigration system that protects American workers.
- Around 70 percent of the immigrants who come to the United States today are admitted based on family relationships or through the visa lottery.
- The most vulnerable Americans are the ones hurt the most by the current system, which undercuts wages and drains our social safety net programs.
- The President’s proposal creates the “Build America Visa,” which will select immigrants based on a point system and features three high-skill categories:
- Extraordinary talent
- Professional and specialized vocations
- Exceptional academic track records
- The President’s proposal prioritizes the immediate family—ensuring that mothers and fathers and children will be at the front of the line to obtain a green card.
- Adopting the President’s proposal will ensure prosperity and higher wages for all Americans—especially recent immigrants striving to achieve the American Dream.
- President Trump’s proposal will create a fair and transparent system that levels the playing field for all potential immigrants and allows for greater diversity.
- The President’s proposal will protect all workers from exploitation, fraud, and unlawful displacement.
- The President’s proposal promotes our common language and strengthens our national unity.
THE GLOBAL RACE FOR TALENT: The President’s proposal will increase American competitiveness in attracting and retaining the best and brightest by moving the United States in line with the effective point systems used by other countries.
- President Trump’s proposal will move America to a more competitive and fair position of 57 percent employment and skill, 33 percent family, and 10 percent humanitarian.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
MAY 16, 2019
Pelosi Statement on Trump Administration’s Dead-on-Arrival Immigration Plan
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the Trump Administration’s latest dead-on-arrival immigration proposal:“This dead-on-arrival plan is not a remotely serious proposal.
“The White House has repackaged the worst of its past failed immigration plans: greenlighting the Administration’s barbaric family detention policies, reviving the President’s ineffective and wasteful wall, completely abandoning our patriotic and determined Dreamers and gutting our asylum and refugee protections, which the evangelical community has called the ‘crown jewel of American humanitarianism.’ To say that this plan’s application criteria are ‘merit-based’ is the height of condescension.
“Democrats continue to fight for immigration reform that secures our borders, protects our workers, unites our families, defends our Dreamers and provides an earned pathway to citizenship. We look forward to working with the White House on serious and smart solutions that reflect our nation’s values and interests.”