MOSCOW (Sputnik) — US President Donald Trump said Thursday he wanted to make a deal on legalizing immigrants who were smuggled in as children conditional on funding for the wall on the Mexican border and an end to so-called chain migration through extended family visas.
"Chain migration is a disaster for this country and it’s going to end…. It will be part of a DACA [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals] deal," he told Fox News.
Chain migration happens when immigrants are permitted to reside in a country in order to be reunited with a relative already living there. According to Trump, Uzbek NYC terror suspect Sayfullo Saipov was able to use the system to bring in 23 other newcomers.
He denied claims by Democrats that his plan to build a wall on the southern border to keep undocumented immigrants and drugs out would cost anywhere near $40 billion, suggesting a sum less than half that amount. "That will also be a part of DACA or whatever," Trump added.
Trump’s administration announced in September that he intended to terminate the program following a six-month delay to allow US authorities to close pending applications and renewals as well as give Congress an opportunity to pass legislation on the matter.
Trump also announced in the interview that he had asked Congress to end the immigration lottery program that allowed the suspect in this week’s New York City terror attack to come to the United States.
"This kid came in through a lottery system that’s gonna end and it’s gonna end fast. In fact, I’ve already instructed Congress they must end it, and I think we are going to get even Democrat support on this," he said.
