Trump signs order declaring national emergency at southern US border

WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday declaring a national emergency at the southern US border that paves the way to deploy American troops there.

Trump signed the order, among many others, at the Oval Office. The measure is also aimed at putting in motion an immigration crackdown.

During his address following the inauguration ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda, Trump said he would declare a national emergency at the southern border

"All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places in which they came," said the president, a pledge he repeated during his campaign.

Among the executive orders signed by Trump is ending birthright citizenship.

"This next order relates to the definition of birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment of the United States. That's a good one. Birthright. That’s a big one," he said.

Under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, any person born within the territory of the US is an American citizen.

At the Oval Office, Trump also signed an executive order designating cartels and other organizations to be foreign terrorist organizations.

"Mexico probably doesn't want that. We have to do what's right. They're killing our people. They're killing 250,000-300,000 American people a year," he said.

He also said he wanted to work with countries from South America to coordinate immigration in general.

I'm fine with legal immigration. I like it. We need people, and I'm absolutely fine with it," said the president.