Trump talks immigration, terror and trade in State of the Union address

US prez reverses Obama policy to close prison for terrorists caught abroad

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump, in his first State of the Union address on Tuesday, offered a four-pillar immigration deal, talked tough on trade and terrorism, and called for unity in the nation.

The address is an annual message presented by the president to a joint session of Congress.

Clocking in at nearly 80 minutes, Trump’s major pitch was on immigration, with a call for support of both Republicans and Democrats. He formally put before the Congress a plan his administration had unveiled earlier — a path to citizenship for 1.8 million undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children, boosting border security with the wall along the Mexico border, ending a visa lottery to encourage diversity, and ending family-based chain migration.

“It is time to begin moving towards a merit-based immigration system — one that admits people who are skilled, who want to work, who will contribute to our society, and who will love and respect our country,” Trump said.

He reiterated his tough position on trade — calling for it to be “fair” and “reciprocal” — and terrorism, in which he redeployed Guantanamo Bay for terrorists apprehended abroad, reversing the Obama administration’s decision to close it.

He also called for unity, stressing the need for the nation to come together “as one team, one people, and one American family”.

India would be paying close attention to the first three issues — immigration, trade and terrorism — read along with his remarks reiterating his new strategy in Afghanistan.

Though details of his immigration plans will be hammered out during negotiations, implications for India are unclear except for the fate of its nationals brought here illegally as children — generically called Dreamers. More opportunities could arise for Indian professionals anecdotally, but analysts are projecting a shrinkage that may well follow as well in the number of green cards issued to Indians.

India, which has felt caught in the crosshairs of the Trump administration on account of a