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Trump: Immigration System Will Not Be 'Tool for Terrorism'


Supporters of President Donald Trump's immigration restrictions rally at Los Angeles international airport in Los Angeles, California, Feb. 4, 2017.
Supporters of President Donald Trump's immigration restrictions rally at Los Angeles international airport in Los Angeles, California, Feb. 4, 2017.

In his weekly radio address, U.S. President Donald Trump promised that the country's immigration system will not be used as a 'tool' to advance the cause of foreign terrorists.

"We will continue to fight to take all necessary and legal action to keep terrorists, radicals and dangerous extremists from ever entering our country," Trump said. "We will not allow our general system of immigration to be turned against us as a tool for terrorism and truly bad people. We must take firm steps today to ensure that we are safe tomorrow."

Trump's remarks came as his administration considers a "brand new order" on immigration after an appellate court unanimously ruled against reinstating his executive order barring refugees and citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S.

Trump told reporters on board Air Force One Friday that a new executive order could be issued as soon as Monday or Tuesday, if the administration decides to pursue that course of action.

On Twitter Saturday morning, Trump expressed his displeasure with the court ruling, saying it is putting Americans at undue risk.

The president also predicted on Twitter that cost estimates of constructing a wall along the southern border the U.S. shares with Mexico will drop dramatically, an apparent response to a Homeland Security report that said the estimate had tripled to nearly $22 billion.

President Trump also promised in his radio address to provide relief for residents in the southern states of Louisiana and Mississippi who suffered property damage when tornadoes ripped through the area earlier this week. "We are going to take care of them," he said.

Trump also turned his attention to taxes, saying his administration is in the process of developing a plan that "massively reduces taxes on our workers and our businesses."

He also warned U.S. companies that do business in the U.S. to think twice about relocating outside the country, adding his administration is going to make it harder for them to leave. "They are not just going to say 'bye bye' and fire everybody. There will be consequences," he said.

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