On Tuesday, President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress, emphasizing that his administration is “just getting started” in the wake of a contentious beginning to his second term. Significant themes, including substantial cuts to the federal workforce, shifts in traditional American alliances, and highlighting his administration’s efforts regarding border security and immigration, claiming it to be “the most sweeping border and immigration crackdown in American history,” characterized his address.

Mr. Trump remarked, “The media and our allies in the Democrat Party repeatedly stated that we needed new legislation in order to secure the border. However, it appears that all we required was a new president.” 

Criticizing the record arrivals at the southern border under Biden, Trump said “many of them were murderers, human traffickers, gang members and other criminals from the streets of dangerous cities all throughout the world.”

The Los Angeles Times reported that researchers have found that undocumented immigrants commit crimes at substantially lower rates than native-born citizens.

“We are achieving the great liberation of America,” Trump said, “but there is still much work to be done.”

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a first-term senator from Michigan delivered the Democratic rebuttal. “Securing the border without actually fixing our broken immigration system is dealing with the symptom not the disease,” Slotkin said. “America is a nation of immigrants. We need a functional system, keyed to the needs of our economy, that allows vetted people to come and work here legally. So I look forward to the President’s plan on that.”

New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat delivered the Democrats’ Spanish-language rebuttal. He accused Trump of creating an “environment of fear among the immigrant community.” 

“Trump’s migration policy is not designed the way he and his allies say, to deport those who really should be deported,” Espaillat said. “We want a new immigration law that secures the border, protects the DREAMers, the agricultural workers and maintains our families unified.”

In his address, Trump also touted his idea for a “gold card” visa, a novel way for foreigners to obtain U.S. citizenship by paying $5 million.

“Citizenship for sale!” one Democrat in the audience cried out.

“You have a green card. This is a gold card,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office last month. “We’re going to be putting a price on that card of about $5 million and that’s going to give you green card privileges, plus it’s going to be a route to citizenship. And wealthy people will be coming into our country by buying this card.”

“A President can’t create a visa. That’s for Congress to do,” Lori Nessel, a professor at Seton Hall University’s School of Law told Time.

Experts say that the program shows the Administration’s priorities when it comes to immigration. “To say, on the one hand, we are going to deport everyone in this country who’s here without permission and we are going to close down our borders. And then, at the same time, say we’re going to dramatically increase the number of people that can come in—if they’ve got millions of dollars—it’s very clear messaging in terms of who’s wanted in American society,” says Nessel.

To watch President Donald Trump’s speech, click HERE.

To watch Sen. Elissa Slotkin’s response, click HERE.

Para ver la respuesta del Representante Adriano Espaillat en español, haga clic AQUI.