‘Zero Illegal Aliens Admitted in 9 Months’: Donald Trump Credits Border Policies, Blames Joe Biden for Past Surge | Image:
AP
Washington: In his 2026 State of the Union address, U.S. President Donald Trump highlighted his administration’s immigration, crime, and economic policies, claiming major improvements within his first year in office while sharply criticizing former President Joe Biden and Democrats.
Border Enforcement Claims
Trump said illegal border crossings have fallen significantly under his administration. He stated that “in the past nine months, zero illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States,” and cited enforcement statistics showing arrests for illegal crossings have dropped to their lowest levels since the mid-1960s.
According to figures referenced in his remarks, migrant arrivals peaked at about 250,000 in December 2023 during Biden’s presidency, fell to under 50,000 by December 2024, and declined further afterward. He pointed to a January total of 6,070 arrests along the southern border, which he said would equal the lowest annualized level since 1967.
Crime, Drugs, and Safety Statistics
The president said fentanyl trafficking across the border had dropped by a record 56 percent in one year. He also claimed the United States recorded the largest single-year decline in the murder rate in history, calling it the lowest level in more than 125 years.
He cited conditions he said he inherited, including “a stagnant economy, inflation at record levels, a wide-open border, horrendous recruitment for military and police, rampant crime at home, and wars and chaos all over the world.”
Economic Indicators Highlighted
Trump said that within 12 months his administration had brought core inflation down to its lowest level in more than five years and that it reached 1.7 percent during the final three months of 2025. He also said gasoline prices that had exceeded USD 6 per gallon in some states previously were now below USD 2.30 in most states and as low as USD 1.85 in some locations.
Immigration Policy
On immigration policy, Trump told lawmakers his administration would continue allowing legal migration, saying the U.S. would admit “people who will love our country and will work hard to maintain it.”
Referring to a November shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C., he said a suspect from Afghanistan “shouldn’t have been in our country.” Following that incident, his administration announced measures including halting visas for Afghans, reviewing green cards for people from countries labeled “of concern,” and pausing asylum applications.
Crime Crackdown
Trump also focused on public safety in the nation’s capital, saying Washington, D.C., is now “one of the safest cities in the country.” He declared a crime emergency there in August 2025 and credited a surge of federal authorities and more than 2,200 National Guard members with lowering crime to historic lows.
Data cited during the address indicated violent crime fell 29 percent in 2025 compared with 2024 and is down 29 percent so far this year compared with the same period last year.
Legislative Push
The president urged Congress to restore funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which has been partially shut down for more than a week amid Democratic demands for changes to immigration enforcement operations.
He also called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune to bring forward the SAVE Act, legislation that would require proof of citizenship for voting. Trump described the bill as “country-saving,” though it faces opposition from Democrats and has not yet been scheduled for a Senate vote.
Protests and Disruptions
The address included several interruptions from Democratic lawmakers. Representative Rashida Tlaib shouted, “You’re killing Americans!” while referencing the killing of a Minneapolis nurse during a federal immigration enforcement operation and repeated the accusation during Trump’s remarks. Republicans responded with applause for Trump’s statements on immigration.
Tlaib later exited the chamber with Representative Ilhan Omar after further protests. Representative Al Green was escorted out less than two minutes into the address after standing with a protest sign reading “Black People Aren’t Apes!” as Republican members chanted “USA.”
Closing Message
Immigration policy dominated the speech, including Trump’s appeal to Congress to restore DHS funding. He warned delays could undermine enforcement efforts. Trump concluded by saying the United States had achieved what he described as “a turnaround for the ages” and declared, “This is the golden age of America,” while asserting that Republicans and his presidency were “the only thing standing between Americans and the wide open borders right now.”
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