Trump Calls for Common Sense ‘Mainstream Immigration Policy,’ Denounces Clinton’s ‘Radical’ Agenda

At his Monday national security address, Donald Trump called for a common- sense, “mainstream immigration policy that promotes American values,” and denounced Hillary Clinton’s “radical immigration policy” that only benefits special interests.

“What I want is common sense. I want a mainstream immigration policy that promotes American values,” Trump declared. “That is the choice I put before the American people: a mainstream immigration policy designed to benefit America, or Hillary Clinton’s radical immigration policy designed to benefit politically-correct special interests.”

Trump focused particularly on the impact that large-scale Muslim migration will have on the LGBT community:

Hillary Clinton can never claim to be a friend of the gay community as long as she continues to support immigration policies that bring Islamic extremists to our country who suppress women, gays and anyone who doesn’t share their views. She can’t have it both ways. She can’t claim to be supportive of these communities while trying to increase the number of people coming in who want to oppress them. How does this kind of immigration make our life better? How does this kind of immigration make our country better? Why does Hillary Clinton want to bring people here—in vast numbers—who reject our values? Ask yourself, who is really the friend of women and the LGBT community, Donald Trump with his actions, or Hillary Clinton with her words? Clinton wants to allow Radical Islamic terrorists to pour into our country—they enslave women, and murder gays. I don’t want them in our country. Immigration is a privilege, and we should not let anyone into this country who doesn’t support our communities – all of our communities.

Trump explained that it is radical and dangerous for Clinton to push to expand the nation’s already record high rate of immigration:

Each year, the United States permanently admits more than 100,000 immigrants from the Middle East, and many more from Muslim countries outside the Middle East. Our government has been admitting ever-growing numbers, year after year, without any effective plan for our security. In fact, Clinton’s State Department was in charge of the admissions process for people applying to enter from overseas. Having learned nothing from these attacks, she now plans to massively increase admissions without a screening plan, including a 500% increase in Syrian refugees. This could be a better, bigger version of the legendary Trojan Horse. We can’t let this happen.

Trump pointed out that the Orlando attack was only possible due to Muslim immigration. The gunman, Omar Mateen, was the child of Afghan migrants. Trump explained that there was no reason Mateen’s father should ever have been admitted to the United States in the first place– as he had expressed support for the Afghan Taliban and said he was running for President of Afghanistan. Trump said;

Immigration from Afghanistan into the United States has increased nearly five-fold in just one year. According to Pew Research, 99% of people in Afghanistan support oppressive Sharia Law. Altogether, under the Clinton plan, you’d be admitting hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East with no system to vet them, or to prevent the radicalization of their children… The media talks about “homegrown,” terrorism, but Islamic radicalism, and the networks that nurture it, are imports from overseas.Yes, there are many radicalized people already inside our country as a result of the poor policies of the past. But the whole point is that it will be much, much easier to deal with our current problem if we don’t keep on bringing in people who add to the problem. For instance, the controversial Mosque attended by the Boston Bombers had as its founder an immigrant from overseas charged in an assassination plot. This shooter in Orlando was the child of an immigrant father who supported one of the most repressive regimes on Earth. Why would we admit people who support violent hatred?

Trump declared that the burden is on Clinton to explain why she wants to expand record-high immigration levels, which will transform American communities and jeopardize national security:

The burden is on Hillary Clinton to tell us why she believes immigration from these dangerous countries should be increased without any effective system to screen who we are bringing in. The burden is on Hillary Clinton to tell us why we should admit anyone into our country who supports violence of any kind against gay and lesbian Americans. The burden is also on Hillary Clinton to tell us how she will pay for it. Her plan will cost Americans hundreds of billions of dollars long-term. Wouldn’t this money be better spent on rebuilding America for our current population, including the many poor people already living here?

Trump observed that immigration is not simply an issue of national security, but also financial security:

America has already admitted four times more immigrants than any country on earth, and we continue to admit millions more with no real checks or scrutiny. Not surprisingly, wages for our workers haven’t budged in many years. So whether it’s matter of national security, or financial security, we can’t afford to keep on going like this. We owe $19 trillion in debt, and no longer have options. All our communities, from all backgrounds, are ready for some relief. This is not an act of offense against anyone; it is an act of defense.

You can read the full text of Donald Trump’s speech here.