Trump calls for 'merit-based' immigration after blaming diversity visa program for New York attack

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 1 November 2017

President Trump on Wednesday called for merit-based immigration following a deadly attack in New York City on Tuesday by a 29-year-old man from Uzbekistan. "The terrorist came into our country through what is called the 'Diversity Visa Lottery Program,' a Chuck Schumer beauty," Trump shared, referring to the Democratic senator from New York, in a series of early morning tweets. "I want merit-based."

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) criticized Trump for "politicizing" the attack: "We respect all people in America, that's about American a value as there is," de Blasio told CNN's Chris Cuomo, adding: "So no, this should not be politicized." Schumer, the Senate minority leader, also responded, skewering Trump for "politicizing and dividing America, which he always seems to do at times of national tragedy." Many others connected Trump's response to his treatment of the Las Vegas attack:

The visa program referenced by Trump "has been around for more than 20 years, offering a limited number of visas to people from parts of the world that have relatively few immigrants in the United States," The Washington Post reports. It has long been a target of conservatives, with radio host Mark Levin skewering the program on Fox & Friends minutes before Trump's tweets. Read more about the program at The Washington Post.

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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.