President Trump Calls for ‘Merit-Based’ Immigration Reform, Gives No Indication of Supporting Amnesty
On Tuesday evening, Donald Trump addressed Congress for the first time in his presidency. While the speech itself was more of the same, many supporters of the Trump administration were anxious that the president would announce his support for amnesty.
This anxiety stemmed from an article published earlier on Tuesday in The New York Times. In the article, a number of anonymous sources from the mainstream media allege that Donald Trump personally told them of his plans to offer amnesty to illegal immigrants.
“The time is right for an immigration bill as long as there is compromise on both sides,” President Trump allegedly told TV anchors at the White House.
However, much to the relief of Trump supporters nationwide, Trump’s speech to Congress did not mention the possibility of granting citizenship to millions of illegal immigrants.
Instead, Trump outlined his support for a “merit-based” immigration system, arguing that those who immigrate here should be able to support themselves financially.
“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,” the President stated.
Continuing, Trump added, “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.”
While the Alt-Right understands that a color-blind immigration system – regardless of merit – is not ideal, transitioning to a merit-based system would be step in the right direction.
The amnesty crisis seems to have been averted for now. Nevertheless, it is a threat that will loom in the distance until Trump implements the type of immigration reform America so desperately needs.
