Washington, DC…My fellow Americans, This week, I was joined at the White House by American families whose loved ones were killed by illegal immigrants. Many of these illegal immigrants had extensive criminal records and had been repeatedly deported. Every single one of these deaths was preventable. These beautiful American lives were stolen because our government refused to do its job. If the government had simply enforced our immigration laws, these Americans would still be alive today.

That is why, since the day I took the oath of office, I have been restoring the enforcement of our immigration laws and the protection and defense of our borders.

These courageous Americans joined me at the White House to call on Congress to pass two bills that I campaigned on during the election. If enacted, these bills will save countless Americans lives. The first bill, Kate’s Law, is named for Kate Steinle, who was killed by an illegal immigrant who had been deported five times. This law will enhance criminal penalties for those who repeatedly re-enter our country illegally.

The second bill, the No Sanctuary For Criminals Act, will block federal grants to jurisdictions that shield dangerous criminal aliens from being turned over to federal law enforcement.

On Thursday, I am glad to report, these two bills passed the House of Representatives. This represents a crucial step toward ensuring our public safety and national security.

I want to thank Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte for his dedicated work on these critical bills, as well as other crucial legislation that will soon be considered as well. I also thank Leadership for advancing these life-saving measures.

I now call on the Senate to take up these bills and send them back to my desk for signature – as soon as possible. We need security. We need safety in our country. And I call on members of both parties to stand united with victims to stop these terrible and senseless crimes from ever happening in the first place.

This legislation presents a simple choice: either vote to save and protect American lives, or vote to shield and comfort criminal aliens who threaten innocent lives – and they’ve been shielded too long.

As we head towards the Fourth of July, we remember now more than ever to cherish our freedom. The foundation of freedom is the rule of law. It forms the bedrock of our Constitution and the cornerstone of our way of life.

So this Independence Day, while we’re enjoying treasured time with our friends and loved ones, let us not forget the families who have an empty seat at the table this year.

And let us pledge that from now on, we will protect, defend and save American lives.

Thank you.