President Trump ripped his opponents on immigration during remarks to the United Nations , saying their "evil" policies give sustenance to crime syndicates that prey on migrants.
Illegal immigration "undermines prosperity, rips apart societies, and empowers ruthless criminal cartels," the president told world leaders Tuesday. "Today, I have a message for those open border activists who cloak themselves in the rhetoric of social justice," he said. "Your policies are not just, your policies are cruel and evil. You are empowering criminal organizations that prey on innocent men, women, and children. You put your own false sense of virtue before the lives, well-being, and countless innocent people. When you undermine border security, you are undermining human rights and human dignity."
Trump also issued a warning to anyone considering an unauthorized entry into the country. "To anyone conducting crossings of our border illegally please hear these words," he said. "Do not pay the smugglers, do not pay the coyotes, do not put yourself in danger, do not put your children in danger, because if you make it here, you will not be allowed in. You will be promptly returned home. You will not be released into our country."
The president also praised cooperating nations, and Mexico specifically, for their assistance in curbing the flow of illegal migrants and to uphold the "integrity of borders and ensure safety and prosperity for our people."
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