Border security, NAFTA to figure in Trump s address to Congress

New York March 1 (IANS) The US President Donald Trump in his first address before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday will mention his plans regarding border security among other things the White House said.

A female White House spokesperson told Efe news agency about the elements of the president s speech a few hours before Trump was due to appear before the assembled lawmakers.

The spokesperson said that it would be correct to assume that border security and efforts to fulfill his campaign promises will figure in the president s remarks.

When asked if Trump will talk about his willingness to renegotiate NAFTA with US treaty partners Mexico and Canada as well as his aim to restrict US entry for refugees and immigrants from certain countries the spokesperson responded that he would certainly be referring to those issues.

Another White House source who also spoke on condition of anonymity said that Trump will emphasise his willingness to enforce immigration laws and will talk about how implementing that legislation will be handled by the country s national security authorities.

Trump has invited three special guests to attend the address individuals whose relatives were murdered by undocumented immigrants a move whereby he is evidently seeking to strengthen congressional support for his hardline policies on illegal immigration and his plans to accelerate deportations.

Those invited guests are Jamiel Shaw - a man whose son was murdered in 2008 by an undocumented migrants and a regular speaker during Trump s campaign rallies who defended his tough anti-immigration policies - as well as Jessica Davis and Susan Oliver the widows of Det. Michael Davis and Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver.

The White House sources also said that Trump s intention to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama s 2010 health care reform will be one of the main elements of the speech.

The president will nevertheless make clear one of them said that Americans with pre-existing conditions will remain covered under any new health care plan.

In contrast to his inauguration speech which received criticism for its dark vision of the country s situation the president on Tuesday evening wants to deliver an optimistic message and a vision that encourages Americans to dream big dreams a message that will be directed specifically at the middle class the sources said.

It is expected that Trump will also make reference to US support for NATO and his desire that European countries contribute more funding to the trans-Atlantic alliance the sources said although they did not say what other foreign policy issues the president might deal with in the address.

--IANS
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