President Donald J. Trump is set to sign executive orders today that will clear a path for the construction of a border wall with Mexico and target sanctuary cities. It’s making good on his promise to strengthen the border, an issue that catapulted him to frontrunner status in the GOP primary. It was the fuel the kept the Trump machine running full steam to victory in November (via WaPo):
Big day planned on NATIONAL SECURITY tomorrow. Among many other things, we will build the wall!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017
President Trump is planning to sign executive orders on Wednesday enabling construction of his proposed border wall, and targeting cities where local leaders refuse to hand over illegal immigrants for deportation, part of a multi-day rollout of his long-promised crackdown on illegal immigration, officials familiar with the decision said Tuesday.“Big day planned on NATIONAL SECURITY tomorrow,” Trump wrote on Twitter late Tuesday. “Among many other things, we will build the wall!”
The moves represent Trump’s first effort to deliver on perhaps the signature issue that drove his presidential campaign: his belief that illegal immigration is out of control and threatening the country’s safety and security.
On Wednesday, Trump plans to speak to a town hall of employees at the Department of Homeland Security’s headquarters in Washington, where he is expected to sign the orders. The effort to crack down on what are known as sanctuary cities will resonate with the Republican base, which has long criticized local officials who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
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White House aides said Trump planned to meet Wednesday with several parents of children who were killed by immigrants who are in the country illegally. These activists, who refer to themselves as “angel moms,” were frequently featured during Trump’s campaign rallies and during the Republican National Convention.
Yesterday Christine wrote that the president would also sign executive orders that will curb visas being issued to people from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.