(applause)
The President: Thank you very much.
This is great to be with people I truly feel
comfortable with.
Please sit down.
They'll say I didn't get a standing ovation, because
they never sat down (laughter).
And I say, "I got one standing ovations, because
they never sat down."
But I want to thank you all.
I have great, great love for what you do and the
way you do it.
And when I'm with the police chiefs, and I'm
with the sheriffs of our country, and these are the
big ones - these are the really big ones - I just
want to thank you very much.
And I thought before I spoke about what we're
really here to speak about, I would read
something to you, because you can be a lawyer, or
you don't have to be a lawyer.
If you were a good student in high school or a bad
student in high school, you can understand this.
And it's really incredible to me that we have a court
case that's going on so long - as you know, in
Boston, we won it with a highly respected judge -
had a very strong opinion, but now we're in an area
that - let's just say, they are interpreting
things differently than probably 100 percent of
the people in this room.
I'd like to almost note does anybody disagree when
I read this, but I'm going to read what's in dispute,
what's in question.
And you'll see this.
It's INA212FAUSC1182F, suspension of entry or
imposition of restrictions by the President. Okay?
Now, this isn't just me.
This is for Obama, for Ronald Reagan, for the
President, and this was done,
very importantly for security.
Something you people know more about than all of us.
It was done for the security of our nation,
the security of our citizens, so that people
come in who aren't going to do us harm, and that's
why it was done.
And it couldn't have
been written any more precisely.
It's not like, "Oh, gee.
We wish it were written better."
It was written beautifully.
So just listen.
Here's what it says.
This is what they're arguing:
Whenever the President finds that the entry of
any aliens - okay?
- the entry - the entry of any aliens - or of any
class of aliens, so any aliens, any class of
aliens - into the United States.
So the entry of people into the United States.
Let's say - just to be precise - of aliens
into the United States.
So any time - whenever the President finds that the
entry of any alien or any class of aliens into the
United States - would be detrimental to the
interest of the United States, right?
So, if I find as President, that a person
or a group of people will be detrimental to the
interests of the United States, and certainly,
there's lots of examples that we have, but you
shouldn't have them necessarily, he may be and
he may, by proclamation, and for such period as he
shall deem necessary - now, the only mistake is
they should have said he or she.
But, hopefully, it won't be a she for at least
another seven years.
(laughter)
After that, I'm over it.
(applause)
See. I just noticed that actually.
Just noticed it.
I'm saying, "Whoa.
This is not politically correct."
It's correct, but it's not politically correct.
You know.
This is the old days.
He may, by proclamation, and for such period as he
shall deem necessary - so here it is: people coming
in - suspend the entry of all aliens. Right?
That's what it says.
It's not like - again, a bad high school student
would understand this.
Anybody would understand this.
Suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of
aliens as immigrants or non-immigrants or impose
on the entry of aliens. Okay?
So you can suspend the aliens, right?
You can suspend the aliens from coming in.
First straw.
Or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he
may deem to be appropriate. Okay.
So you can suspend, you can put restrictions, you
can do whatever you want.
And this is for the security of the country,
which, again, you're chiefs.
You're the sheriffs.
You understand this.
And I listened to lawyers on both sides last night,
and they were talking about things that just had
nothing to do with it.
I listened to a panel of judges, and I will comment
- I will not comment on the statements made by,
certainly, one judge.
But I have to be honest.
If these judges wanted to in my opinion, help the
court in terms of respect for the court, they'd do
what they should be doing.
I mean, it's so sad.
They should be - you know, when you read something so
simple and so beautifully written, and so perfectly
written - other than the one statement, of course,
having to do with he or she - but when you read
something so perfectly written and so clear to
anybody, and then you have lawyers, and you watch - I
watched last night in amazement, and I heart
things that I couldn't believe, things that
really had nothing to do with what I just read.
And I don't ever want to call a court biased, so I
won't call it biased.
And we haven't had a decision yet.
But courts seem to be so political, and it would be
so great for our justice system if they would be
able to read a statement and do what's right, and
that has to do with the security of our country,
which is so important.
Right now, we are at risk, because of what happened.
General Kelly is an extremely talented man and
a very good man.
Now Secretary Kelly, Homeland Security.
(applause)
We are doing our job.
He's a great man.
We're doing our job.
And one of the reasons that you probably heard
that we did it so quickly - I would have - in fact,
I said, let's give a one-month notice, and then
law enforcement - and General Kelly was so great
because he said, "We totally knew about it.
We knew about everything."
We do things well.
We did things right.
But the law enforcement people said to me, "Oh,
you can't give a notice.
Because if you give a notice that you're going
to be really tough in one month from now, or in one
week from now - I suggested a month, and I
said, "Well, what about a week?"
They said, "No.
You can't do that because then people are going to
pour in before the toughness goes on."
Do you people agree?
I mean, you know more about law than -
(applause)
- anybody than law enforcement.
So I wanted to give like a month.
Then I said, "Well, what about a week?"
They said, "Well, then you're going to have a
whole pile of people - perhaps, perhaps - with
very evil intentions
coming in before the restrictions."
So there it is, folks.
It's as plain as you can have it.
I didn't - and I was a good student - I
understand things.
I comprehend very well. Okay?
Better than - I think - almost anybody, and I want
to tell you, I listened to a bunch of stuff last
night on television that was disgraceful.
It was disgraceful, because what I just read
to you is what we have, and it just can't be
written any plainer or better, and for us to be
going through this, and by the way, a highly, highly
respected judge in Boston ruled very
strongly in our favor.
You heard that.
In fact, I said to my people, "Why don't you use
the Boston case?"
And there were reasons why they couldn't use the
Boston case - this one came later.
But various reasons.
But use the Boston case.
And I won't read that, but there were statements made
by that judge - who, again, highly respected -
that were right on.
That were perfect.
They were perfect.
So I think it's sad.
I think it's a sad day.
I think our security is at risk today.
And it will be at risk until such time as we are
entitled and get what we are entitled to as
citizens of this country.
As chiefs, as sheriffs of this country,
we want security.
One of the reasons I was elected was because of law
and order and security.
That's one of the reasons I was elected.
Also, jobs and lots of other things, but I think
one of the strongest reasons is security.
And they're taking away our weapons one by one.
That's what they're doing, and you know it, and I
know it, and you people have been very unhappy for
a long period of time.
And I can read the polls maybe better than anybody,
because it seems that I understood the polls a lot
better than many of the pollsters understood the
polls assuming they were honest polls, which I, you
know, think many of them probably weren't.
(applause)
I really believe that.
But-but we need security in our country.
We have to allow you folks to do your jobs.
You're great people.
Great people.
Great men and women, and we have to allow you to do
your jobs, and we have to give you the weapons
that you need.
And this is a weapon that you need.
And they're trying to take it away from you.
Maybe because of politics, or maybe because of
political views.
We can't let that happen, so with that, let's get on
to business, right?
That's really something.
(applause)
Thank you.
I want to thank Sherriff Senator Hutchins and Chief
Tom Manger for your leadership and, frankly,
for the service.
You have had great service.
Everyone has told me about you two, legendary people.
All of us here today are united by one shared
mission: to serve and protect the public of the
United States.
During my campaign for President, I had the
chance to spend time with law enforcement officials
all across our country.
They're the most incredible people
you will ever meet.
And I just wanted to say to all of them right now
from the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank
you, thank you.
(applause)
Okay. There are many actions we in the federal government
can take to help improve safety
in your communities.
But I believe that community safety begins
with moral leadership.
Our police officers, sheriffs, and deputies
risk their lives every day, and they're entitled
to an administration that has their back.
(applause)
The first step in restoring public safety is
affirming our confidence in the men and women
charged with upholding our laws.
And I'm going to add justices, judges in that
category, and I'm very proud to have picked Judge
Gorsuch, who I think is going to be an outstanding
member of the Supreme Court. Outstanding.
(applause)
So I'd like to begin my remarks with a declaration
issued to all of you and delivered to every member
of the law enforcement community all across the
United States: my message today is that you have a
true, true friend in the White House.
You have.
(applause)
I stand with you.
I support our police.
I support our sheriffs.
And we support the men and women of law enforcement.
(applause)
Right now many communities in America are facing a
public safety crisis.
Murders in 2015 experienced their largest
single year increase in nearly half a century.
In 2016 murders in large cities continued to climb
by double digits.
In many of our biggest cities, 2016 brought an
increase in the number of homicides, rapes,
assaults, and shootings.
In Chicago, more than 4,000 people were shot
last year alone.
And the rate so far this year has been even higher.
What is going on in Chicago?
We cannot allow this to continue.
We've allowed too many young lives to be claimed
- and you see that.
You see that all over.
Claimed - by gangs.
And too many neighborhoods to be crippled by
violence and fear.
Sixty percent of murder victims under the age of
22 are African American.
This is a national tragedy, and it requires
national action.
This violence must end, and we must all work
together to end it.
Whether a child lives in Detroit, Chicago,
Baltimore, or anywhere in our country, he or she has
the right to grow up in safety and in peace.
No one in America should be punished because of the
city where he or she is born.
Every child in America should be able to play
outside without fear.
Walk home without danger, and attend a school
without being worried about drugs or gangs or
violence.
So many lives and so many people have
been cut short.
They're potential, they're life has been cut short.
So much potential has been sidelined.
And so many dreams have been shattered and broken.
Totally broken.
It's time to stop the drugs from pouring into
our country, and by the way, we will do that, and
I will say this: General, now Secretary, Kelly will
be the man to do it, and we will give him a wall.
And it will be a real wall, and a lot of things
will happen very positively for your
cities, your states.
(applause)
Believe me.
The wall is getting designed right now.
A lot of people say, "Oh, oh.
Trump was kidding with the wall."
I don't kid.
(laughter) (applause)
I watched this, and they say I was kidding. Nah.
I don't kid about things like that.
I can tell 'ya.
No, we will have a wall, and it will be
a great wall.
And it will do a lot of - it will be a big help.
Just ask Israel about walls.
Do walls work?
Just ask Israel.
They work if it's properly done.
It's time to dismantle the gangs terrorizing our
citizens, and it's time to ensure that every young
American can be raised in an environment of decency,
dignity, love, and support.
You have asked for the resources, tools, and
support you need to get the job done.
We will do whatever we can to help you
meet those demands.
That includes a zero tolerance policy for acts
of violence against law enforcement.
(applause)
We all see what happens.
We all see what happens and what's been
happening to you.
It's not fair.
We must protect those who protect us.
The number of officers shot and killed in the
line of duty last year increased by 56 percent
from the year before.
Last year in Dallas police officers were targeted for
execution - think of this.
Who ever heard of this?
They were targeted for execution.
12 were shot, and five were killed.
These heroic officers died as they lived protecting
the innocent.
Rushing into danger, risking their lives for
people they did not even know, but for people that
they were determined to save.
Hats off to you people.
These slain officers are an eternal monument to all
of the men and women who protect our streets and
serve our public.
We will not forget them, and we will not forget all
of the others who made that final sacrifice in
the line of duty.
God has blessed our nation to put these
heroes among us.
Those who serve in law enforcement work - long
hours - you work long hours.
I know so many sheriffs, so many chiefs, so many
police who work long hours and dangerous hours
oftentimes in difficult conditions and for not
that much pay relative to what you're doing.
They do it because they care.
We must work with them, not against them.
They're working against you.
For many years, they've been working against you.
We must support them, not undermine them.
And instead of division and disunity, and which is
so much disunity, we must build bridges of
partnership and of trust.
Those who demonize law enforcement, or who use
the actions of a few to discredit the service of
many, are hurting the very people they say that they
want to help.
When policing is reduced, crime is increased.
And our poorest citizens suffer the most.
And I see it all the time.
When the number of police goes down, crime goes up.
To build needed trust between law enforcement
and the communities they serve, it is not enough
for us to merely talk to each other.
We must listen to each other.
All of us share the view that those in uniform must
be held to the highest
possible standard of conduct.
So important.
You're the role models to young Americans all across
this country.
Many of whom want to go into law enforcement.
Many of whom want to be a sheriff or a police chief.
Many of whom - they have great respect for you.
Tremendous respect.
You don't even realize it, but I will tell you, they
have great respect and admiration for the people
in this room and the people that you represent.
And don't let anyone ever tell you different.
Don't let the dishonest media try and convince you
that it's different than that, because it's not.
(applause)
That is why our commitment to law and law enforcement
also includes insuring that we're giving
departments the resources they need to train,
recruit, and retain talent.
As part of our commitment to safe communities, we
will also work to address the mental health crisis.
Prisons should not be a substitute for treatment.
We will fight to increase access to life-saving
treatment to battle the addiction to drugs, which
is afflicting our nation like never ever before.
(applause)
Ever. I've been here two weeks.
I've met a lot of law enforcement officials.
Yesterday brought them into the oval office.
I asked a group, "What impact do drugs have in
terms of a percentage on crime?"
Said 75 to 80 percent.
That's pretty sad.
We're going to stop the drugs from pouring in.
We're going to stop those drugs from poisoning our
youth, from poison in our people.
We're going to be ruthless in that fight.
We have no choice.
(applause)
And we're going to take that fight to the drug
cartels and work to liberate our communities
from their terrible grip of violence.
You have the power and knowledge to tell General
Kelly, now Secretary Kelly, who the illegal
immigrant gang members are.
Now you have that power.
Because you know them.
You're there.
You're local.
You know the illegals.
You know them by their first name.
You know them by their nicknames.
You have that power.
The federal government can never be that precise, but
you're in the neighborhoods.
You know the bad ones; you know the good ones.
I want you to turn in the bad ones.
Call Secretary Kelly's representatives, and we'll
get them out of our country and bring them
back where they came from, and we'll do it fast.
You have to call up the federal government,
Homeland Security, because so much of the problems -
you look at Chicago.
And you look at other places.
So many of the problems are caused by gang
members, many of whom are not even legally
in our country.
And we will work with you on the frontlines to keep
America safe from terrorism, which is what I
began this with.
Terrorism, a tremendous threat far greater than
people in our country understand.
Believe me.
I've learned a lot in the last two weeks, and
terrorism is a far greater threat than the people of
our country understand.
But we're going to take care of it.
We're going to win.
We're going to take care of it, folks.
Let today be the beginning of a great national
partnership.
Let today serve as a great call to action.
And let this moment represent a new beginning
in relations between law enforcement and our
communities.
I want you to know the American public totally
stands with you.
I want you to know the
American people support you.
I want you to know how proud we are - truly proud
- to know you.
WE applaud your efforts.
We thank you for your service.
And we promise that you will always find an open
door at the White House, an open invitation to our
great cops and sheriffs nationwide.
They're great people.
You are great people.
Thank you.
God bless you, and God bless America.
Thank you very much.
(applause)
Thank you.