*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2018 *

**The President's Weekly Address **

*February 11, 2018 *

My fellow Americans, this week, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, homeland security officials, and lawmakers joined me at the White House to address a very vicious threat to our communities—the savage gang, MS–13.

Glaring loopholes in our laws have allowed criminals and gang members to break into our country. For example, under current law, unaccompanied alien minors at the border are released into American communities no matter where, no matter how, it's so easy for them because the laws are bad, and they have to be changed. This loophole is easily exploited by MS–13, which now operates in at least 40 States. In addition to MS–13, many other gangs are breaking into our country routinely because our laws are so weak, so sad, so pathetic.

At this week's roundtable, we learned the story of one family right here in Washington, DC, that hosted a person in their home, who then began to recruit their young son to MS–13. When the boy's mother tried to stop it, the gang member shot her in the head, blinding her for life. She's lucky she lived, but she's paying a very big price.

During my State of the Union, I called on Congress to immediately close dangerous loopholes in Federal law that have endangered our communities and imposed enormous burdens on U.S. taxpayers. My administration has identified three major priorities for creating a safe, modern and lawful immigration system: fully securing the border, ending chain migration, and canceling the visa lottery. Chain migration is a disaster and very unfair to our country. The visa lottery is something that should have never been allowed in the first place. People enter a lottery to come into our country. What kind of a system is that?

It is time for Congress to act and to protect Americans. Every Member of Congress should choose the side of law enforcement, and the side of the American people. That's the way it has to be. Thank you.

NOTE: The address was recorded at approximately 4:15 a.m. on February 8 in the State Dining Room at the White House.

*Categories:* Addresses and Remarks : Weekly addresses*.*

*Locations: *Washington, DC.* *

*Subjects:* Defense and national security : Border security; Immigration and naturalization : Reform; Immigration and naturalization : Visa policy, U.S.; Law enforcement and crime : Gang violence, prevention efforts.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201800086.