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Immigration enforcement and border security were front and center in President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, with the commander in chief touting zero illegal border crossings over the past nine months.
Of the words Trump mentioned most, “border” was tied with “tax” for first place at 16 mentions. He also spoke extensively about national security and immigration. One of the most impactful moments of the night came when Trump challenged every lawmaker in the chamber to stand if they believed their first duty is to protect American citizens rather than illegal immigrants.
“One of the great things about the State of the Union is how it gives Americans the chance to see clearly what their representatives really believe,” Trump said. “So tonight, I’m inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle: if you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.”
As Trump said this, the Republican side of the chamber stood, while Democrats remained seated, prompting condemnation from the president.
President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address included a handful of top moments, including awards to military veterans and Democratic outbursts. (Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)
“Isn’t that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourself for not standing up. You should be ashamed of yourself,” Trump repeated.
He then called on Democrats to end sanctuary policies across the country, saying, “That is why I’m also asking you to end deadly sanctuary cities that protect the criminals and enact serious penalties for public officials who blocked the removal of criminal aliens, in many cases, drug lords, murderers all over our country.”
“They’re blocking the removal of these people from our country, and you should be ashamed of yourselves,” he said.
He also slammed Democrats for having “closed the agency responsible for protecting Americans from terrorists and murderers,” referring to the Department of Homeland Security. He said, “Tonight, I’m demanding the full and immediate restoration of all funding for border security and homeland security of the United States.”
Trump knocked former President Joe Biden, saying, “After four years in which millions and millions of illegal aliens poured across our borders, totally unfettered and unchecked, we now have the strongest and most secure border in American history, by far.”
“In the past nine months, zero illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States,” he said, adding, “The flow of deadly fentanyl across our border is down by a record 56% in one year.”
Despite these successes, Trump acknowledged the impact crimes committed by illegal immigrants have had on American citizens. He honored several “Angel Families” in the gallery whose children or loved ones were killed by illegal immigrants.
“These are the angel moms and families that for decades our government betrayed and our media totally ignored,” he said.
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Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., shout during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address during a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
He paid tribute to Jacqueline Medina, whose daughter, Lizbeth Medina, was murdered by an illegal immigrant in Texas.
“In 2023, a 16-year-old high school cheerleader named Lizbeth Medina was supposed to perform in her town’s Christmas parade, but she never arrived. Her mother, Jacqueline, went home to look for her, and she found her lying dead in a bathtub, bleeding profusely after being stabbed 25 times,” said Trump. “Her heartbroken mother is in the gallery to remind everyone in this chamber exactly why we are deporting illegal alien criminals from our country at record numbers, and we’re getting them the hell out of here fast; we don’t want them.”
He also honored Dalilah Coleman, a child in the gallery who, at age 5, was paralyzed in an auto pileup in California caused by an illegal immigrant.
“The driver was an illegal alien let in by Joe Biden and given a commercial driver’s license by open borders politicians in California,” he said.
“Most illegal aliens do not speak English and cannot read even the most basic road signs as to direction, speed, danger, or location,” he went on. “That’s why tonight I’m calling on Congress to pass what we will call the ‘Dalilah Law’ barring any state from granting commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.”
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President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 24, 2026. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu/Getty Images)
Trump also blamed “unrestricted immigration and open borders” for the massive fraud schemes uncovered late last year in Minnesota, which he said were tantamount to “plundering” by members of the state’s Somali community.
“When it comes to the corruption that is plundering it, really, it’s plundering America, there’s been no more stunning example than Minnesota, where members of the Somali community have pillaged an estimated $19 billion from the American taxpayer,” he said. “This is the kind of corruption that shreds the fabric of a nation.”
Though he said the administration has already been “working on it like you wouldn’t believe,” he announced he is appointing Vice President JD Vance to lead “the war on fraud.”
“So tonight, although it started four months ago, I am officially announcing the war on fraud to be led by our great Vice President JD Vance. He’ll get it done, and if we’re able to find enough of that fraud, we will actually have a balanced budget overnight. It’ll go very quickly. That’s the kind of money you’re talking about. We’ll balance our budget,” he said.
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“The Somali pirates who ransacked Minnesota remind us that there are large parts of the world where bribery, corruption and lawlessness are the norm, not the exception,” he concluded. “Importing these cultures through unrestricted immigration and open borders brings those problems right here to the U.S., and it is the American people who pay the price in higher medical bills, car insurance rates, rent, taxes and, perhaps most importantly, crime.”
“We will take care of this problem,” he vowed, adding, “We are not playing games.”
