Shortly after taking office on Monday, President Donald Trump introduced harsh new immigration and asylum restrictions in the U.S. He announced plans to send troops to the US-Mexico border and take steps to end birthright citizenship.
During a chaotic press conference in the Oval Office, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border and revealed an executive order aimed at eliminating the constitutional right to US citizenship for those born in the country.
“That’s a big one,” he commented to reporters, acknowledging that the decision would likely face strong legal opposition.
Trump admitted that while he believed the move was legally justified, he expected challenges. “I think we have good grounds, but you could be right,” he said when questioned about potential pushback.
In a separate order, he declared a national emergency at the US-Mexico border. Trump reiterated his support for legal immigration, stating, “I like it. We need people, and I’m absolutely fine with it. We want to have it,” but emphasized that immigration must be legal.
Earlier, in his inaugural speech, Trump vowed to send troops to the border to “repel the disastrous invasion of our country.”
