FAIR: Trump Demonstrates Keen Understanding of Immigration's Impact on Jobs, Crime, National Security
Acting on behalf of the American people, he has a vision for key policy changes that will address all of these problems.
—Dan Stein, President of FAIR
(March 1, 2017 — Washington, D.C.) — The following statement was released by Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) in response to President Trump’s first joint address to Congress and the American people last night:
“President Trump demonstrated a studied understanding of the market forces at work that are displacing American workers and depressing working class. He also once again showed that he empathizes with the thousands of American families who have needlessly lost love ones to illegal immigrants who should not have been in the country in the first place. Acting on behalf of the American people, he has a vision for key policy changes that will address all of these problems.
“The administration has moved quickly to regain control of the borders and enforce immigration laws in the interior of the country. By prioritizing removals of criminal aliens, the administration is demonstrating its commitment to ensuring that American families don’t suffer at the hands of those who shouldn’t be in the country in the first place.
“The president also discussed his vision of legal immigration policy that creates a better balance between nuclear family-based immigration and merit-based immigration. This shift, already embraced by Canada and Australia and encapsulated in the recently introduced RAISE Act, sponsored by Senators Cotton (R-Ark.) and Perdue (R-Ga.) will ensure that we can maximize the benefits of immigration while minimizing the downside.
“The president promised the widows and family of Michael Davis, Jr. and Danny Oliver, two California law enforcement officers who were murdered in the line of duty by an illegal immigrant, that their loved ones did not perish in vain. To that end, he urged Congress to adopt the Davis-Oliver Act, a bill that would remove all barriers to state and local law enforcement working with federal immigration officials to create a web of protection for the American people against drugs, terrorism and illegal immigration.
“Clearly, President Trump’s north star is his unwavering commitment to the safety of the American people, the security of the American job market, and the renewed respect for the rule of law.”