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In America First speech, Trump promotes 'merit-based' immigration

Arul Louis Published on 31 January, 2018
In America First speech, Trump promotes 'merit-based' immigration
New York, Jan 31 (IANS) In a speech brimming with patriotism and the America First concept, President Donald Trump has reiterated the US commitment to strengthen its military, protect its borders and reset its trading relationships while calling for "merit-based" immigration system.

"This is our new American moment," Trump declared in his first State of the Union address on Tuesday night in Washington as he took a victory lap for the economic achievements of the first year of his presidency and laid out an agenda for the rest of it.

In his 80-minute speech in the House chamber of the Capitol, Trump renewed his campaign call "to make America great again for all Americans" by working "all of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family."

Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker Paul Ryan were at the event. 

The speech, mostly devoted to domestic issues, was punctuated with spectacles for television with Trump calling out at appropriate points in his speech to crime victims, business people, beneficiaries of his economic programmes, soldiers, a crippled North Korean refugee and others seated in the audience with anecdotes about them.

In his speech, Trump took credit for the massive tax reforms, the 2.4 million jobs created in the last year, the lowest unemployment for African Americans, stock markets setting records adding $8 trillion in value and investments and manufacturing returning to the US.

Immigration issue figured prominently in Trump's speech as he appealed for a "fair compromise".

"It is time to begin moving towards a merit-based immigration system -- one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society and who will love and respect our country," he said.

Currently, Indian professionals have a 11-year wait to get their permanent resident status with green cards because of national quota restrictions. A purely merit-based system like those in Canada and Australia, which the administration has proposed, has the potential to help an estimated 500,000 Indian professionals in the queue get their green cards sooner.

Sunayana Dumala, the widow of Indian techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla who was killed in a hate crime last year in Kansas, was a Congressional guest. She called the speech "welcoming and positive" on reforming immigration.

Trump offered to legalize those who were brought into the country illegally as children and ultimately give them citizenship, a move that could benefit over 5,500 Indians.

At the same time, he said "chain migration" of brothers, sisters and parents of immigrants should end. Limiting immigration to only spouses and children of immigrants would affect other aspiring immigrants from India.

Preventing illegal immigration would require building a wall on the southern border with Mexico and hiring more immigration and border security personnel, Trump said.

He called for a crackdown on criminal immigrants, particularly the members of gangs like the MS-13, which include many young people who entered the country under a programme of the administration of Barack Obama and are responsible for several murders.

In a manoeuvre that mirrors the dynastic bent of the Congress party in India, the Democratic Party brought out Joe Kennedy, the grandson of the late Robert Kennedy and grandnephew of John F. Kennedy, to deliver the party's response to Trump.

The 37-year-old Congressman discounted every achievement that Trump claimed and attacked his agenda, delivering a part of his speech in Spanish.

On international matters, Trump focused on trade, military might and terrorism.

"The era of economic surrender is over," he declared. "We will work to fix bad trade deals and negotiate new ones."

In outlining his strategic perspective, Trump lumped China and Russia with rogue regimes and terrorist groups that "challenge our interests, our economy and our values".

He included the nuclear arsenal in discussing his defence agenda.

"We must modernize and rebuild our nuclear arsenal... making it so strong and powerful that it will deter any acts of aggression," he said.

In fighting terrorism, Trump recalled his pledge "to extinguish the Islamic State from the face of the earth" and said the US and its allies have "liberated almost 100 per cent of the territory once held by these killers in Iraq and Syria".

"Our warriors in Afghanistan also have new rules of engagement," Trump said, repeating a dig at Obama's administration, saying, "along with their heroic Afghan partners, our military is no longer undermined by artificial timelines and we no longer tell our enemies our plans".

Trump announced that he has signed an executive order to keep Guantánamo Bay military prison open in Cuba.

He also asked the Congress to enact laws to ensure that "American foreign-assistance dollars always serve American interests and only go to America's friends".

Iran and North Korea came in for special attention. Trump criticized the nuclear deal made by the US, the other permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, with Iran to end its nuclear proliferation and also accused it of "destabilizing the region".

"North Korea's reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland," Trump said. "We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from happening."

In another criticism of his predecessors, Trump said: "Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation. I will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations that got us into this dangerous position."

Domestically, the centrepiece of his address was a $1.5 trillion programme he wanted from the Congress to rebuild and add to the nation's crumbling infrastructure.

"We will build gleaming new roads, bridges, highways, railways, and waterways across our land," he said. "And we will do it with American heart, American hands, and American grit."

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
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Permanent Resident 2018-01-31 09:14:36
One of the BEST State of the Union address....
We are so proud...

If I get the Citizenship, definitely shall vote for Trump
Mathew V. Zacharia, NEW YORK 2018-01-31 09:04:44
 Last night, President Trump captured the attention of This greatest nation under God with optimism.
Mathew V. Zacharia, New Yorker.
John Samuel , Pastor 2018-01-31 09:19:20

BREAKING:News

Empty hollow, man of LIES,

make America great was a Obama's slogan.

Those who wear the red hat with trump will hide it within 5 years.

White extremists hates brown people, they are funded by NRA.

White racists has tattoos on them- hate brown,black,Asian & Jew.

Americans killed by guns =1516863

Americans killed by all wars= 1396733

but republicans support NRA and NRA pay them. NRA is funded by Russia.

Failed to implement sanctions on Russia by rump. If he don't do it, it is clear Putin has dirt on him, if he do it, Putin will reveal all the dirt.

Boby Varghese 2018-01-31 09:28:09
Trump lost a golden opportunity to hit a home run. The content of his speech was excellent. But he looked bored and his presentation was boring. His pitch was very low.
Dr. Beena 2018-01-31 09:56:04

What a refreshing speech!! Bit long though, he could have ended it within 25-30 minutes.

With all respect, I highly doubt how many of our Malayalee commentators clearly listened and understood it. They are still behind Russian submarine & fake stories like that.

മലയാളി അമ്മ 2018-01-31 10:17:11

പൊള്ള ചെണ്ട

നിങ്ങള്‍ ചിന്തിക്കാന്‍

1] 'it will be hard to unify the nation without a 'major event'- trump said, resign it will be great for America. He is looking for a war to hang on to power.

2]The House intel committee GOP leader refused to answer behind closed doors if he coordinated with the president’s team on his report blasting Rosenstein, Comey, and McCabe.

3]"Washington is ours" - Aleksandr Dugin on the night of Trump's election He is a pro-Putin Russian political strategist

4]Top Russian spies reportedly met recently with CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

5] the slogan America First is KKK origin. every time he say it, he endorses white nationalism, racism and hatred. America is a diverse nation of immigrants of every color and creed. That is what makes us great.

6]President Trump’s lawyers are arguing that the special counsel’s team has not met the threshold for a presidential interview

7]Trump uses people of color as cover for his anti-immigrant policies:

8] what ever he said is just political stunt, he never kept his promises. No one belives him even the republicans

9] Obama wanted to rebuild the infra structure, but the republicans controlled Senate & the House, they never let him.

ചാക്കോ, മേമല 2018-01-31 10:52:28
അമേരിക്കയെ ഉയർത്താൻ അമേരിക്കൻസിനെ ഉയർത്താൻ, ട്രംപ് കഷ്ടപ്പെടുന്നു. (അമേരിക്കൻസ് എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞാൽ ഞാനും നിങ്ങളുമടക്കമുള്ള സമൂഹം).

താൻ അമേരിക്കക്ക് വേണ്ടി എന്ത് ചെയ്തു എന്ന് ഒരു പ്രസിഡന്റ്റ് പറയുമ്പോൾ, അത് ശ്രദ്ധിക്കുന്നതിനു പകരം മെലാനിയാ ധരിച്ചിരുന്ന വെള്ള ഉടുപ്പിൽ ചുളിവുണ്ടായിരുന്നോ എന്ന് നോക്കുന്നവരെ എന്ത് വിളിക്കണം? ചില നേരത്തു നമുക്ക് സഹതാപം തോന്നും. 

അമേരിക്കൻസിൻറെ ഹൃദയത്തിൽ, 2020യിലും ട്രംപ് തൻറെ സ്ഥാനം ഉറപ്പിച്ച പ്രസംഗമായിരുന്നു ഇന്നലെ നടന്നത്. 
എരുമക്ക്‌ അമരേസം 2018-01-31 13:09:53

കേരളത്തില്‍ ഇന്നു കാണുന്ന ഹീന സമൂഹം ലോകത്തിലെ തന്നെ ഏറ്റവും വിര്‍ത്തി കെട്ടത് ആണ് എന്ന് മലയാളി തന്നെ സമ്മതിക്കും. അതില്‍ കുറെ എണ്ണം കുടുംബ വിസയില്‍ ഏതോ നേര്സിന്‍ മൂട് താങ്ങി അമേരിക്കയില്‍ എത്തി. അവളെ 2 ഉം 3 ഉം ജോലിക്ക് വിട്ടു ബെന്‍സും സ്റ്റോക്ക്‌ ഒക്കെ വാങ്ങി ഞെളിഞ്ഞു നടക്കുന്ന കുറെ 8 ആം ക്ലാസ്സ്‌ മലയാളി ട്രുംപ് ആര്‍ എന്ന് അറിയാതെ അവന്‍റെ മൂട് താങ്ങി രിപ്ലപ്ലിക്കന്‍എന്ന് കൂവി നടക്കുന്നു.വിവരംകെട്ട സംസ്കാര സൂന്യരോട് ഏന്ത്‌ പറഞ്ഞിട്ട് പ്രയോജനം.ഇവനൊക്കെ പള്ളിയിലും അസോസിയേഷനിലും മാത്രം അല്ല സാഹിത്യ സംഘടനകളിലും പ്രശ്നക്കാര്‍  

maani 2018-01-31 13:27:11

REASONABLE IMMIGRATION COMPROMISE
1.8 Million Dreamers
A Wall of Technology Not a Physical Wall
Hire More Border & ICE Agents with More Pay
Eliminate Catch & Release and Hire More Immigration Judges
Limit Chain Migration to Spouse, Children, and Include Parents
Reduce Lottery by 50% & Increase Merit Based Migration by 20%
End Extended Family Sponsored Migration
$25 Billion Reduced to Cover Technology, More Agents, & Judges

Keep in mind, we have the toughest screening for immigrant approval.
This Would Reduce Immigration by 1/4 Million People Annually.

Joseph Ponnoly [copyfromFB] 2018-01-31 13:30:44
TEAR DOWN THIS WALL
"Tear down this wall". Those were the words of President Regan to Russian President Gorbachev in 1987. The Berlin Wall fell or was brought down. Now we are building new walls or existing walls are strengthened. Post-2008 global economic crisis has led to more isolationism and exclusion by nations and regions all over the world. But natural disasters like hurricanes, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and climate change make us realize that the destiny of humans everywhere is intertwined. At the press of a button, we can now destroy humankind or what we call human civilization. Let wisdom dawn in this connected but disconnected world. Let justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity rule the world.
truth and justice 2018-01-31 13:42:54
Mr President accomplished lot within one year than any president achieved so far to make America great again. Our money and technology and trades are being stolen and other countries are getting richer and and no loyalty to this country.He spoke one hour twenty minutes as much as Mr Clinton the orator spoke in the past and he got many claps more than his predecessors.
അനിശ്ചിതൻ 2018-01-31 15:16:26
അടുത്ത് വരാൻ പോകുന്ന 2018 ഇലക്ഷനിൽ ഡെമോക്രാറ്റിക്‌  സ്ഥാനാർത്ഥി ആവാൻ സാധ്യത ഉള്ള എല്ലാവരും എഴുനേറ്റുനിന്നു ട്രംപിന് കൈയ്യടിച്ചു എന്നത് തന്നെ, ട്രംപ് ആണ് ശരി എന്നുള്ളതിലേക്കു വിരൽ ചൂണ്ടുന്നു 

TRUMP, TRUMP, TRUMP!!! MAGA
Johny Kutty 2018-01-31 15:25:53

A law abiding US Citizen is called DEPLORABLE, whereas illegal immigrants are called DREAMERS. Can you believe this?

Democrats are gone, man. Solid gone. May be a come back in 2024. When OBU came to power he had huge majority in House and Senate.

House 257 Democrats and 178 Republicans

Senate 57 Democrats plus 2 Independents (Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman)

Even after having “Total control”, he did nothing including anything for our infrastructure. Hence he lost majority in House and Senate, election after election.

The person killed Democrats is OBU with his stupid policies like OBUCARE. If Hilly was publicly announcing, she will not follow the foot steps of OBU and repeal OBUCARE, she would have been the US President now.

Dr.Thomas Mathew [Professor,Political Science] 2018-01-31 17:17:46


LEARN SOME TRUTH.

Obama care – ACA- became a Law because millions had no health Insurance, when they go to the hospitals it was paid by the taxpayers.

Hilary won the election but Russians with the knowledge of republicans including trump family made changes in 21 red states and trump won there with 1 to 2 % more than Hilary. But Hilary had the most popular vote. 3rd party Jill Stein received money from Russia and even B. Sanders to run against Hilary.

Many top republicans to received money from Russia, 37 of them are not running in 2018 and more to follow.

Fox News is fake news,

who ever is in investigation of trump Russian connection is getting fired. It is treason and obstruction of justice and impeachment is on the way.

There are millions of homeless in this country. The money for the wall can be used for that + putting more Law enforcement on the border, more immigration officers to deport the illegals.

People can climb the wall with ladders, dropped in US by cranes, Helicopters, they can come by boat, there is not enough Cost Guard to stop them.

Republicans want to take more money out of Social Security, they don't care because they are millionaires.

Think, think before you blindly support a con sexual predator who bankrupted all his businesses.

He wont impose sanctions on Russia because he borrowed money from them to keep his businesses live.

He supports white extremists they will kick out you, brown, black, Hispanic, Asian..

Yesterday a Native American congress man was told to go home- so do not expect any intelligence from them, many are illiterate and uneducated.


Rama Chandran, Ph.D 2018-02-01 12:06:53
രാമായണം മുഴുവൻ വായിച്ചിട്ടു, രാമൻ സീതയ്ക്ക് എപ്പടി എന്ന് ചോദിച്ചാൽ.... ഉത്തരം... പെങ്ങൾ.

ലോകത്തിനു മുഴുവൻ അറിയാം, ഒബാമകെയർ നിറുത്തലാക്കും എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞതാണ് ട്രംപിനെ ജനങ്ങൾ പ്രസിഡന്റായി തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കാനുള്ള പ്രധാന കാരണം. 

പാവങ്ങളുടെ കൈയിലെ, കഷ്ട്ടപെട്ട് അധ്വാനിച്ചുണ്ടാക്കുന്ന, പൈസ ഇൻഷുറൻസ് കമ്പനികൾക്ക് പോകുന്നു. ഇൻഷുറൻസ് എടുത്തില്ലെങ്കിൽ പെനാൽറ്റി. അതുകൊണ്ട് മാത്രം, ആളുകൾ ഇഷ്ടമില്ലെങ്കിൽ പോലും ഇൻഷുറൻസ് എടുത്തു. പെനാൽറ്റിയുടെ കൂടെ ജയിൽശിക്ഷയും എന്ന് നിയമം ഉണ്ടാക്കിയാൽ ബാക്കിയുള്ളവരും കൂടെ എടുത്തേനേ. 

വാൾ സ്ട്രീറ്റിലെ ഒരു മണിക്കൂർ പ്രസംഗത്തിലൂടെ ഇൻഷുറൻസ് പ്രീമിയത്തിലൊരംശം ചിലരുടെ പോക്കറ്റിലെത്തുന്നു. എങ്ങനെയുണ്ട് കളി?

വെറുതെയാണോ പ്രതിപക്ഷത്തെ ഒരാളുടെ പോലും പിൻതുണയില്ലാതെ രാത്രി പാസാക്കിയ നിയമം, പൊതുജനം ചവറ്റുകൊട്ടയിൽ തള്ളിയത്....
Jayan Karukmanayil 2018-02-01 12:14:28
ട്രംപ് ഇപ്പൊ ഒരു മരുന്ന് കണ്ടു പിടിച്ചു എന്ന് വെക്കുക. ഫ്ലൂ ഭേദമാകാനുള്ള മരുന്ന്.

ഉടൻ തന്നെ, പേരില്ലാ മലയാളികൾ തുടങ്ങും......

ട്രംപ് കാരണം ഡോക്ടർസിന്റെ ജോലി പോയി
ട്രംപ് കാരണം നേഴ്സുമാരുടെ ജോലി പോയി
ട്രംപ് കാരണം ആശുപത്രി ജീവനക്കാരുടെ ജോലി പോയി
ട്രംപ് കാരണം ഇൻഷുറൻസ് കമ്പനിയുടെ ലാഭം കുറഞ്ഞു പോയി

ഇഷ്ടമില്ലാത്ത അച്ചി തൊട്ടതെല്ലാം കുറ്റം.....
കഷ്ടം, ഇവർക്കൊന്നും ഒരമേരിക്കനെപോലെ ചിന്തിക്കാൻ പറ്റുന്നില്ലല്ലോ, അമേരിക്ക മുഴുവൻ ട്രംപ് ട്രംപ് എന്നാർത്തു വിളിക്കുമ്പോൾ 

Rama Chandran 2018-02-01 12:29:03
രാമായണം മുഴുവൻ വായിച്ചിട്ടു, രാമൻ സീതയ്ക്ക് എപ്പടി എന്ന് ചോദിച്ചാൽ.... ഉത്തരം... പെങ്ങൾ.

ലോകത്തിനു മുഴുവൻ അറിയാം, ഒബാമകെയർ നിറുത്തലാക്കും എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞതാണ് ട്രംപിനെ ജനങ്ങൾ പ്രസിഡന്റായി തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കാനുള്ള പ്രധാന കാരണം. 

പാവങ്ങളുടെ കൈയിലെ, കഷ്ട്ടപെട്ട് അധ്വാനിച്ചുണ്ടാക്കുന്ന, പൈസ ഇൻഷുറൻസ് കമ്പനികൾക്ക് പോകുന്നു. ഇൻഷുറൻസ് എടുത്തില്ലെങ്കിൽ പെനാൽറ്റി. അതുകൊണ്ട് മാത്രം, ആളുകൾ ഇഷ്ടമില്ലെങ്കിൽ പോലും ഇൻഷുറൻസ് എടുത്തു. പെനാൽറ്റിയുടെ കൂടെ ജയിൽശിക്ഷയും എന്ന് നിയമം ഉണ്ടാക്കിയാൽ ബാക്കിയുള്ളവരും കൂടെ എടുത്തേനേ. 

വാൾ സ്ട്രീറ്റിലെ ഒരു മണിക്കൂർ പ്രസംഗത്തിലൂടെ ഇൻഷുറൻസ് പ്രീമിയത്തിലൊരംശം ചിലരുടെ പോക്കറ്റിലെത്തുന്നു. എങ്ങനെയുണ്ട് കളി?

വെറുതെയാണോ പ്രതിപക്ഷത്തെ ഒരാളുടെ പോലും പിൻതുണയില്ലാതെ രാത്രി പാസാക്കിയ നിയമം, പൊതുജനം ചവറ്റുകൊട്ടയിൽ തള്ളിയത്....
- Rama Chandran, Ph.D (chandrnkram84@hotmail.com)
indian 2018-02-01 16:50:55
Dear vivaram kettavan
BJP and RSS are doing the same thing in India against non-Hindus and dalits, who are also sons of the soil. 
വിവരം കെട്ടവര്‍ 2018-02-01 16:37:09

"The amount of white supremacist propaganda on college campuses in the U.S. increased 258 percent between fall 2016 and fall 2017, according to a report the Anti-Defamation League released Thursday."

I'm sure it's just coincidence, I mean it has nothing to do with Trump exposing the ugly underbelly of the Republican Party that's existed since the Southern Strategy. No, that's not it at all. It must be Hillary or Obama's fault, right Trump suckers?

ട്രുംപ് ആരാദകര്‍ക്ക് 2018-02-01 17:19:29

ചൂട് വാര്‍ത്തകള്‍


1-Schumer demands Trump explain why Putin's top spy was let into US

2-Rep. Castro: I’m reluctant to say any FBI officials should resign in protest over memo because I’m worried Trump will try to put “stooges in there to do his bidding”

3- T oday there was a tragic shooting at Sal Castro Middle School — and it barely registered in the news. We can't become numb to gun violence. This isn't normal. Congress needs to take action- NY Governor

4-Aside from being completely unethical and possibly illegal, Trump's interference with DOJ on the Nunes memo was also a major tactical mistake.

5-White supremacist propaganda on college campuses rose more than 250 percent, report says: ABC News.

When will trump's malayalee fans will get some commonsense?

മലയാളത്തില്‍ ടൈപ്പ് ചെയ്യാന്‍ ഇവിടെ ക്ലിക്ക് ചെയ്യുക