Trump blames ‘lax immigration system’ for NYC terror attack
President Trump condemned the terror attack in Manhattan on Monday — more than eight hours after an improvised bomb detonated near the Port Authority.
“Today’s attempted mass murder attack in New York City — the second terror attack in New York in the last two months — once again highlights the urgent need for Congress to enact legislative reforms to protect the American people,” the president said.
Trump said the explosion was another example of why Congress and the courts must not impede his tough immigration agenda.
“First and foremost, as I have been saying since I first announced my candidacy for President, America must fix its lax immigration system, which allows far too many dangerous, inadequately vetted people to access our country,” he said.
The president specifically lashed out at “chain migration,” which gives preference to individuals who are related to immigrants who are already here legally.
“Today’s terror suspect entered our country through extended-family chain migration, which is incompatible with national security.
“My Executive action to restrict the entry of certain nationals from eight countries, which the Supreme Court recently allowed to take effect, is just one step forward in securing our immigration system. Congress must end chain migration,” he said.
And he called on lawmakers to beef up customs enforcement by hiring new agents.
“Congress must also act on my Administration’s other proposals to enhance domestic security, including increasing the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, enhancing the arrest and detention authorities for immigration officers, and ending fraud and abuse in our immigration system,” he said.
“Second, those convicted of engaging in acts of terror deserve the strongest penalty allowed by law, including the death penalty in appropriate cases. America should always stand firm against terrorism and extremism, ensuring that our great institutions can address all evil acts of terror.
The attack in the Big Apple occurred at roughly 7:20 a.m. The White House emailed Trump’s statement to the press at 4:48 p.m.
In between the attack and the statement, the president found time to tweet out an attack on The New York Times.
“Another false story, this time in the Failing @nytimes, that I watch 4-8 hours of television a day – Wrong! Also, I seldom, if ever, watch CNN or MSNBC, both of which I consider Fake News. I never watch Don Lemon, who I once called the ‘dumbest man on television!’ Bad Reporting,” the commander-in-chief wrote.