Trump slams ‘chain migration’ as security threat

NEW YORk: The rush-hour blast in the heart of the New York City subway system has given new fuel to President Donald Trump’s push to limit immigration.

Hours after Monday’s explosion in an underground passageway connecting two of Manhattan’s busiest stations, Trump cited the bomber’s background in renewing his call for closer scrutiny of foreigners who come to the country and less immigration based on family ties.

“Today’s terror suspect entered our country through extended-family chain migration, which is incompatible with national security,” Trump said in a statement calling for changes to the immigration system.

Earlier, White House spokesman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump’s proposed policies “could have prevented this”.

The attack came less than two months after eight people died near the World Trade Center in a truck attack that, authorities said, was carried out by an Uzbek immigrant who admired the Islamic State group.

Since 1965, America’s immigration policy has centred on giving preference to people with advanced education or skills, or people with family ties to US citizens and, in some cases, legal permanent residents.

Citizens have been able to apply for spouses, parents, children, siblings, the siblings’ spouses and minor children; the would-be immigrants are then screened by US officials to determine whether they can come.

Trump’s administration has called for a “merit-based” immigration system that would limit familybased green cards to spouses and minor children.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh condemned the subway attack.

“Bangladesh is committed to its declared policy of ‘Zero Tolerance’ against terrorism and condemns terrorism and violent extremism in all forms or manifestations anywhere in the world, ” the South Asian nation’s government said. — AP