Trump calls for ending visa program after N.Y. attack blasts Democrats
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Wednesday seized on the deadly New York City truck attack to step up demands for stricter U.S. immigration laws  asking Congress to end a visa program that let the Uzbek suspect into the country and saying  he  might send  him  to Guantanamo Bay.
 U.S. President Donald Trump  hosts a tax reform industry meeting at the White House in Washington  U.S.  October 31  2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
In a day of harsh recriminations over Tuesdayâs attack that killed eight people in Americaâs largest city   Trump  appeared to assign some blame for an incident that authorities have labeled as terrorism to top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer  who accused  Trump  of politicizing a national tragedy.
 Trump  said  he  would consider sending the suspect  identified by authorities as Sayfullo Saipov  to the military prison at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay  Cuba  which  his  Democratic predecessor Barack Obama tried but failed to shut. No detainee has been sent to the Guantanamo prison since 2008.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders later told reporters that  Trump  considers Saipov an âenemy combatant â a designation that would curtail his legal rights.  Trump  called the suspect âthis animalâ and lambasted the U.S. justice system for terrorism suspects as âa jokeâ and âa laughingstock.â
Since taking office in January   Trump  has sought to increase deportations of illegal immigrations and limit legal immigration.
 Trump  reprised what has been  his  stance as a White House candidate and as president - that tougher immigration laws should be a first line of defense against such attacks.
âIâm going to ask Congress to immediately initiate work to get rid of this program â  Trump  told reporters at the White House.
âWe have to get much tougher â  he  said. âWe have to get much smarter. And we have to get much less politically correct. Weâre so politically correct that weâre afraid to do anything.â
âThe terrorist came into our country through what is called the âDiversity Visa Lottery Program â a Chuck Schumer beauty. I want merit based â  Trump  wrote on Twitter.
Sanders said later that  Trump  does not blame Schumer for the attack and would âloveâ to work with the senator on tougher immigration laws.
 Trump  on Wednesday also renewed  his  call for a âmerit-basedâ visa system - which would favor the highly skilled - and for ending âchain migration â which allows legal immigrants to apply for relatives abroad to come to the United States.  Trump  said there were â23 people that came in or potentially came inâ with Saipov.
 Trump  accused congressional Democrats of blocking immigration legislation that would make the nation safer.
âWe have a lot of good bills in there. Weâre being stopped by Democrats because theyâre obstructionists. And honestly  they donât want to do whatâs right for our country â  Trump  said.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham criticized the  Trump  administration for not declaring Saipov  who remained hospitalized after being shot in the abdomen by a police officer on Tuesday  as an âenemy combatant.â
As a presidential candidate   Trump  called for a total ban on Muslims entering the country as a counter-terrorism measure.
[TGT]  seized on the deadly New York City truck attack to step up demands for stricter U.S. immigration laws  asking Congress to end a visa program that let the Uzbek suspect into the country and saying   [TGT]   might send   [TGT]   to Guantanamo Bay.
  [TGT] hosts a tax reform industry meeting at the White House in Washington  U.S.  October 31  2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
In a day of harsh recriminations over Tuesdayâs attack that killed eight people in Americaâs largest city    [TGT] appeared to assign some blame for an incident that authorities have labeled as terrorism to top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer  who accused   [TGT] of politicizing a national tragedy.
  [TGT] said   [TGT]   would consider sending the suspect  identified by authorities as Sayfullo Saipov  to the military prison at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay  Cuba  which   [TGT]   Democratic predecessor Barack Obama tried but failed to shut. No detainee has been sent to the Guantanamo prison since 2008.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders later told reporters that   [TGT]   considers Saipov an âenemy combatant â a designation that would curtail his legal rights.   [TGT]   called the suspect âthis animalâ and lambasted the U.S. justice system for terrorism suspects as âa jokeâ and âa laughingstock.â
Since taking office in January    [TGT] has sought to increase deportations of illegal immigrations and limit legal immigration.
  [TGT] reprised what has been   [TGT]   stance as a White House candidate and as president - that tougher immigration laws should be a first line of defense against such attacks.
âIâm going to ask Congress to immediately initiate work to get rid of this program â   [TGT] told reporters at the White House.
âWe have to get much tougher â   [TGT]   said. âWe have to get much smarter. And we have to get much less politically correct. Weâre so politically correct that weâre afraid to do anything.â
âThe terrorist came into our country through what is called the âDiversity Visa Lottery Program â a Chuck Schumer beauty. I want merit based â   [TGT]   wrote on Twitter.
Sanders said later that   [TGT] does not blame Schumer for the attack and would âloveâ to work with the senator on tougher immigration laws.
  [TGT] on Wednesday also renewed   [TGT]   call for a âmerit-basedâ visa system - which would favor the highly skilled - and for ending âchain migration â which allows legal immigrants to apply for relatives abroad to come to the United States.   [TGT] said there were â23 people that came in or potentially came inâ with Saipov.
  [TGT] accused congressional Democrats of blocking immigration legislation that would make the nation safer.
âWe have a lot of good bills in there. Weâre being stopped by Democrats because theyâre obstructionists. And honestly  they donât want to do whatâs right for our country â   [TGT] said.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham criticized the   [TGT]   administration for not declaring Saipov  who remained hospitalized after being shot in the abdomen by a police officer on Tuesday  as an âenemy combatant.â
As a presidential candidate    [TGT]   called for a total ban on Muslims entering the country as a counter-terrorism measure.