--- description: President Trump outlined his vision for U.S. immigration during his joint address to Congress. title: What Trump Said About Immigration During His Address to Congress image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb24c47ecd24b10e4/6988bc800a4a221b739cd1e2/trump-address-congress.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Politics](/section/politics/) ## Politics Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Donald Trump](/tag/donald-trump/) ## Donald Trump Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # What President Trump Said About Immigration During His Address to Congress ## Video: This Video Is No Longer Available [Watch (HLS stream): This Video Is No Longer Available](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/fKodeUO6.m3u8) (0:10)  _Published 2026-06-23. "I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible"_  by [Tessa Berenson](/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 1, 2017 2:51 AM CUT  by [Tessa Berenson](/author/tessa-berenson/)  ## Tessa Berenson Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 1, 2017 2:51 AM CUT President [Donald Trump](http://time.com/4686336/trump-congress-address-condemn-hate-crimes/ "undefined") outlined his vision for U.S. immigration during his [joint address to Congress](http://time.com/4686621/trump-congress-address-transcript/ "undefined"), advocating for a reduction in “lower-skilled” immigration and highlighting families who were victims of violent crimes committed by immigrants. But he also opened the door to an immigration reform deal. A “merit-based immigration system,” Trump said Tuesday night in his remarks prepared for delivery, “is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially. … Switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits: it will save countless dollars, raise workers’ wages, and help struggling families — including immigrant families — enter the middle class.” Trump told network anchors earlier on Tuesday that he would be open to a [comprehensive immigration reform bill](http://time.com/4686231/donald-trump-state-union-immigration-reform/ "undefined"). He alluded to it during his joint address, saying, “I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws. If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.” Trump brought Jamiel Shaw, Susan Oliver, Jenna Oliver and Jessica Davis [as his guests](http://time.com/4685278/donald-trump-congress-address-guest-list/?iid=sr-link2 "undefined") to the event— each of them had a family member killed by an undocumented immigrant. Trump said he ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve families like these called VOICE –- Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement. Violence by undocumented immigrants was a theme Trump spoke of throughout his campaign, often referencing Shaw specifically. Trump said Tuesday that Shaw “has become a good friend.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4686331/trump-congress-address-immigration/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4686331/trump-congress-address-immigration/"},"headline":"What President Trump Said About Immigration During His Address to Congress","datePublished":"2017-03-01T02:51:10.000Z","dateModified":"2026-06-24T06:56:51.833Z","description":"\"I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible\"","url":"https://time.com/4686331/trump-congress-address-immigration/","keywords":["Donald Trump","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb24c47ecd24b10e4/6988bc800a4a221b739cd1e2/trump-address-congress.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tessa Berenson","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/tessa-berenson/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb24c47ecd24b10e4/6988bc800a4a221b739cd1e2/trump-address-congress.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan applaud as President Donald J. Trump arrives to deliver his first address to a joint session of Congress in Washington on Feb. 28, 2017.","caption":"Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan applaud as President Donald J. 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