The House chamber broke out in U.S.A. chants after President Donald Trump called on all elected officials to place American citizens over illegal immigrants during his State of the Union address, but the cheers were from only one side of the aisle: that of the Republicans.
“One of the great things about the SOTU is how it gives a chance to see what their representatives want them to believe,” Trump said. “So tonight, I’m inviting every legislature to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle.
“If you agree with this statement, please stand up,” Trump added. “The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens and not illegal aliens.”
Despite the chants and cheers from Republicans, Democrats did not stand.
Trump told Democrats they “should be ashamed” of themselves. “These people are crazy,” the president later observed.
Earlier in his remarks, the president touched on the ongoing partial government shutdown, which was caused by Democrats’ refusal to extend Department of Homeland Security funding.
“Democrats in this chamber have cut off all funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” Trump said. “It’s all cut off; it’s all cut off.
“Now they have closed the agency responsible for protecting Americans from terrorists and murderers,” Trump added. “Tonight, I’m demanding the full and immediate restoration of all funding for the border security and Homeland Security of the United States, and for helping people clean up their snow. We have no money because of the Democrats.”
Democrats demanded that the department adopt new guidelines for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to have its funding reinstated. The new guidelines include demands to halt immigration enforcement operations near polling places and to allow states to sue the department.
Trump called it “another Democrat shutdown.”
The government had shut down for 43 days in November after Democrats blocked funding for the federal government. Republicans at that time accused Democrats of wanting to extend health care subsidies for illegal immigrants.