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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Video: FactChecking Trump’s Immigration Address

Video: FactChecking Trump’s Immigration Address

In this video, we review four statements President Donald Trump made during his national address on illegal immigration and the need for Congress to appropriate $5.7 billion for a wall along the Southwest border. 

FactChecking Trump’s Immigration Address

FactChecking Trump’s Immigration Address

In a national address, President Donald Trump called on Congress to provide $5.7 billion for a border wall to address what he called a “crisis” on the border. The president made some false and misleading claims, and provided some facts without context.

Misleading Border Crime Statistic

Misleading Border Crime Statistic

U.S. Border Patrol encountered 6,259 immigrants with criminal convictions, many of them for illegal entry charges, in fiscal 2018, according to the most recent statistics. Yet, White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney misleadingly claimed authorities “had arrested 17,000 criminals at the southern border.”

RNC Misleads on ‘Immoral’ Democratic Bill

RNC Misleads on ‘Immoral’ Democratic Bill

The RNC attacks a “Pelosi plan” as “immoral” because it “would spend $54 billion taxpayer dollars on foreign countries” but not address “the border crisis.” Yet that’s the same amount that Republican-controlled appropriations committees approved in June for the State Department’s operations, which includes foreign aid.

Democratic Spin on Border Security Funds

Democratic Spin on Border Security Funds

Democrats say the Trump administration is asking for more money for a border wall even though it has spent only 6 percent of the funds that Congress has appropriated for border security over the past two years. That’s misleading. About 60 percent has been awarded to contracts.

Social Security Falsehood Circulates Again

Social Security Falsehood Circulates Again

Social media posts wrongly claim Democrats voted against the Social Security cost-of-living increase for 2019. Adjustments to Social Security benefits are not decided by lawmakers.

False Claim of Immigrant Children Deaths Under Obama

False Claim of Immigrant Children Deaths Under Obama

Q: Is it accurate that “18 children died while in custody of Border Patrol” during the Obama administration?

A: No. Prior to two children’s deaths in December, it had been more than a decade since a child died while in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Trump’s Border Blunders

Trump’s Border Blunders

On the day he met with congressional leaders to discuss the budget stalemate, President Donald Trump repeated several false and misleading claims about the Southwest border and the wall he wants to build.