Fact-checking Trump’s State of Union address

WASHINGTON — The Associated Press fact-checked remarks from President Trump’s State of the Union speech. Here’s a look at some of the claims we’ve examined:

Wage gains: “After years and years of wage stagnation, we are finally seeing rising wages.”

The facts: Actually, they are not rising any faster than they have before. Average hourly pay rose 2.5 percent in 2017, slightly slower than the 2.9 percent increase recorded in 2016.

Diversity visas: “The third pillar (of my immigration plan) ends the visa lottery — a program that randomly hands out green cards without any regard to skill, merit or the safety of our people.”

The facts: That’s a highly misleading characterization. The program is not nearly that random and it does address skills, merit and safety. It requires applicants to have completed a high school education or have at least two years of experience in the past five years in a selection of fields identified by the Labor Department.

Coal: “We have ended the war on beautiful clean coal.”

The facts: Coal is not clean. According to the Energy Department, more than 83 percent of all major air pollutants — sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, toxic mercury and dangerous soot particles — from power plants are from coal.

Illegal immigration: “The first pillar of our framework generously offers a path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought here by their parents at a young age — that covers almost three times more people than the previous administration.”

The facts: Not so. The Obama administration pushed legal status for many more immigrants and was prevented by Congress and the courts from offering it.

Terrorists: “In the past, we have foolishly released hundreds and hundreds of dangerous terrorists only to meet them again on the battlefield, including the ISIS leader, (Abu Bakr alBaghdadi), who we captured, who we had, who we released.”

The facts: Trump is correct that al-Baghdadi had been released after being detained at U.S. detention facilities in Iraq. But if he meant that “hundreds and hundreds” of Guantanamo detainees had been released only to return to the battlefield, his math is off. The office of the Director of National Intelligence said that of the 728 released detainees, 122 are “confirmed” and 90 are “suspected” of re-engaging in hostile activities.

Opioids: Changes in immigration policies, including more border security, “will also support our response to the terrible crisis of opioid and drug addiction.”

The facts: Drugs being brought across borders are only part of the problem contributing to the nation’s opioid crisis. According to the U.S. Centers on Disease Control and Prevention, about 40 percent of the opioid deaths in 2016 involved prescription painkillers. Those drugs are made by pharmaceutical companies.

Veterans: “Last year, the Congress passed, and I signed, the landmark VA Accountability Act. Since its passage, my administration has already removed more than 1,500 VA employees who failed to give our veterans the care they deserve.”

The facts: This statement is inaccurate. It’s true that more than 1,500 firings at the VA have occurred during the Trump administration. But more than 500 occurred from Jan. 20 to late June, when the new accountability law began to take effect. That means roughly one-third of the firings cannot be attributed to the new law.

Obama’s health law: “We repealed the core of the disastrous Obamacare — the individual mandate is now gone.”

The facts: No, it’s not gone. It’s going, in 2019. People who go without insurance this year are still subject to fines.

Tax cuts: “We enacted the biggest tax cuts and reform in American history.”

The facts: The December tax overhaul ranks behind Ronald Reagan’s in the early 1980s, post-World War II tax cuts and at least several more.