4 Takeaways From Trump's UN Speech: Warns of 'Chaos, Death and Destruction'
2. Human Trafficking, Crime Tied to Illegal Immigration
A U.S. worker inspects a section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall at Sunland Park, U.S. opposite the Mexican border city of Ciudad.
One of the most controversial aspect of Trump's policies has been his hard stance against illegal immigration, which he defended in his speech.
"The United States is also working with partners in Latin America to confront threats to sovereignty from uncontrolled migration. Tolerance for human struggling and human smuggling and trafficking is not humane. It's a horrible thing that's going on, at levels that nobody has ever seen before. It's very, very cruel," he warned.
The U.S. president stressed that illegal immigration leads to the flow of deadly drugs and criminal gangs into the country.
"Illegal immigration exploits vulnerable populations, hurts hardworking citizens, and has produced a vicious cycle of crime, violence, and poverty. Only by upholding national borders, destroying criminal gangs, can we break this cycle and establish a real foundation for prosperity," Trump added.
He said that every nation should have the right to set its own immigration policy, and asked that the countries of the world respect the U.S. when it makes its own decisions on the matter.