US President Donald Trump turned a routine flagpole unveiling into an surprising second on Wednesday, jokingly asking building employees exterior the White Home, “Any unlawful immigrants right here?” as cameras rolled and reporters regarded on.“Any unlawful immigrants right here?” Trump requested the employees, who had been carrying exhausting hats and standing behind him. A few of them chuckled and shook their heads in response.The query adopted a reporter’s question about Trump’s new deportation push. “We’re taking them out by the 1000’s. Murderers, drug sellers, individuals which might be mentally insane, from insane asylums,” Trump mentioned earlier than turning to the employees.He then added, “Do we now have anyone right here who’s a member of — no, I don’t suppose so. You’ve recognized these individuals for a very long time? Any unlawful immigrants?” He continued, “If there have been, we’ll discover out. Your complete life might be destroyed due to this press convention. They’ll destroy these individuals. I didn’t need to inform them that earlier than they stood up.”Regardless of the remarks being delivered in a seemingly light-hearted tone, Trump’s feedback drew consideration on account of his administration’s ongoing hardline immigration stance. He reassured the employees: “Don’t fear, I believe you’re gonna be OK.”The press convention adopted the set up of two 88-foot flagpoles, which Trump mentioned had been a private reward to the White Home. Writing on social media the day earlier than, he mentioned, “These are essentially the most magnificent poles made – They’re tall, tapered, rust proof, rope contained in the pole, and of the best high quality.”Trump additionally mentioned the poles had been “at all times lacking from this magnificent place” and hoped they’d stay there for years.The flagpoles had been put in at Trump’s instruction amid his renewed push to ramp up deportations of undocumented immigrants throughout main US cities. In a current social media submit, Trump instructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to do “all of their energy” to hold out what he referred to as the most important mass deportation effort in historical past.“With a view to obtain this, we should develop efforts to detain and deport unlawful aliens in America’s largest cities akin to Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, the place thousands and thousands upon thousands and thousands of unlawful aliens reside,” he wrote over the weekend.
