Trump demands immigration overhaul

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump sent a letter to Congress on Sunday night proclaiming any solution for young illegal immigrants must include broad immigration reforms. The president listed immigration policy prescriptions that included building a wall along the U.S. southern border, cracking down on illegal immigration, and switching the United States to an immigration system that prioritizes merit and not family ties. “Without these reforms, illegal immigration and chain migration, which severely and unfairly burden American workers and taxpayers, will continue without end,” Trump wrote. Trump’s outline calls for hiring 10,000 additional U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and 300 federal prosecutors to strengthen existing laws and enforce new ones. The president wants to establish reforms that quickly deport people with outdated visas, require employers to verify their workers have documentation, and punish localities that do not enforce federal immigration laws. The long list of demands could complicate work in Congress to find a compromise for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Last month Trump said he would wind down the program and gave Congress until March to legislate a solution. Democrats want to provide a pathway to citizenship, and some Republicans agree as long as DACA recipients meet strict standards. Trump’s outline affirms he is not interested in naturalizing DACA recipients.