Trump tells Congress 'I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible'

Trump explains his plans for immigration reform.

(Image credit: Twitter/@BuzzFeedNews)

published 1 March 2017

President Trump vowed a reform of "our system of legal immigration" in his address to Congress on Tuesday evening. "Nations around the world — like Canada, Australia, and many others — have a merit-based immigration system. It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially," Trump said. "Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon."

Without going into specifics, Trump added that "switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits: It will save countless dollars, raise workers' wages, and help struggling families — including immigrant families — enter the middle class."

"I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation's security, and to restore respect for our laws," Trump said.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.