President Trump signed a pair of executive actions Wednesday to begin ramping up immigration enforcement, including a new border wall with Mexico, vowing that construction on his chief campaign pledge would begin in months, reports the Washington Post.
In an appearance at the Department of Homeland Security, Trump kicked off the rollout of a series of directives aimed at clamping down on the estimated 11 million immigrants living illegally in the United States. Aides said more directives could come later this week, including new restrictions on refugees and immigrants from Muslim-majority countries.
The presidential directives signed Wednesday aim to create more detention centers, add more federal border control agents and withhold federal funds to cities that do not comply with federal immigration laws. One order calls for the "immediate construction of a physical wall."
"We are going to restore the rule of law in the United States," Trump said, addressing DHS employees after signing the directives. "Beginning today the United States gets control of its borders."
During Trump's visit to DHS, Vice President Pence swore in retired Marine Gen. John Kelly as the new homeland security secretary.
