Donald Trump's immigration plan to benefit Indians, proposes merit based citizenship

Building on the theme of a safe, strong and proud America, President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday, which among others was attended by Sunayana Dumala, the widow of an Indian engineer who was shot dead in a hate crime. 

The State of the Union address is a traditional annual speech of the US president to a joint session of the Congress where he gives an account of the situation in the country. 

In his hour-long address, Trump spoke about the American's economy and the tax cuts undertaken by his government.

Here are Highlights:

# Our warriors in Afghanistan also have new rules of engagement. Along with their heroic Afghan partners, our military is no longer undermined by artificial timelines, and we no longer tell our enemies our plans.

# They work in every trade.  They sacrifice to raise a family.  They care for our children at home.  They defend our flag abroad.They are strong moms and brave kids.  They are firefighters, police officers, border agents, medics, and Marines. 

# A people whose heroes live not only in the past, but all around us -- defending hope, pride, and defending the American way.

# We’re a people whose heroes live not only in the past, but all around us - defending hope, pride, & the American way.

# And freedom stands tall over one more monument: this one. This Capitol.  This living monument to the American people.

# Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation. I will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations that got us into this very dangerous position.

# A top the dome of this Capitol stands the Statue of Freedom. She stands tall and dignified among the monuments to our ancestors who fought and lived and died to protect her.

# It was that same yearning for freedom that nearly 250 years ago gave birth to a special place called America.

# No regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally&more brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea.Its reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland.We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from ever happening.

# "Finally, we are joined by one more witness to the ominous nature of this regime. His name is Mr. Ji Seong-ho." 

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 31, 2018

# You are powerful witnesses to a menace that threatens our world, and your strength inspires us all. Tonight, we pledge to honor Otto's memory with total American resolve.

# Otto's Parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, are with us tonight -- along with Otto's brother and sister, Austin and Greta
 

# Otto Warmbier was a hardworking student at the University of Virginia.

# We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and our allies

# I am asking the Congress to address the fundamental flaws in the terrible Iran nuclear deal.

# America stands with the people of Iran in their courageous struggle for freedom.

# Last month, I also took an action endorsed unanimously by the Senate just months before: I recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

# I also took an action endorsed unanimously by the US Senate just months before; I recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

# As we strengthen friendships all around the world, we are also restoring clarity about our adversaries

# Our warriors in Afghanistan also have new rules of engagement. Along with their heroic Afghan partners, our military is no longer undermined by artificial timelines, and we no longer tell our enemies our plans.

# I just signed, prior to walking in, an executive order directing Secretary Mattis...to re-examine our military detention policy, & to keep open the detention facilities in Guantanamo Bay.

# Terrorists are not merely criminals. They are unlawful enemy combatants. And when captured overseas, they should be treated like the terrorists they are

# I’m proud to report that the coalition to defeat ISIS has liberated almost 100% of the territory once held by these killers in Iraq & Syria

# Thank you Staff Sergeant Justin Peck for joining us at tonight. While serving in the Middle East, SSG Peck instinctively rushed to save a fallen officer after an IED blast. His presence tonight is a wonderful symbol of the strong & brave members of our armed forces.

# Nearly 6 million jobs open in the United States today. @USDOL is working to expand #apprenticeships to help Americans bridge the #skills gap and find family-sustaining

# For this reason, I am asking the Congress to end the dangerous defense sequester and fully fund our great military.

# I am asking the Congress to end the dangerous defense sequester and fully fund our great military. 

# My Administration is committed to fighting the drug epidemic and helping get treatment for those in need—for those who have been so terribly hurt. The struggle will be long and difficult—but, as Americans always do, in the end we will succeed. We will prevail

# As we rebuild America's strength and confidence at home, we are also restoring our strength and standing abroad.# Thank you Officer Ryan Holets & Rebecca for joining us at tonight’s SOTU. Thank you for your service in protecting and caring for the American people.

# We must get much tougher on drug dealers and pushers if we are going to succeed in stopping this scourge.

# It is time to move towards a merit based immigration system, one that admits people who are skilled, who can contribute to our society, who can love and respect our country: US President Trump

# These reforms will also support our response to the terrible crisis of opioid and drug addiction.

# So let us come together, set politics aside, and finally get the job done.

# It is time to reform these outdated immigration rules, and finally bring our immigration system into the 21st century.

# “The 1st pillar...offers a path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants...the 2nd pillar fully secures our border...the 3rd pillar ends the Visa Lottery...the 4th & final pillar...ends extended family Chain Migration,”.

# The fourth and final pillar protects the nuclear family by ending chain migration

# The third pillar ends the visa lottery -- a program that randomly hands out green cards without any regard for skill, merit, or the safety of our people.

# The second pillar fully secures the border. That means building a wall on the Southern border, and it means hiring more heroes like CJ to keep our communities safe

# The first pillar of our framework generously offers a path to citizenship for 1.8 million illegal immigrants who were brought here by their parents at a young age

# US President Donald Trump claims his administration has created 2.4 million jobs and undertaken the biggest tax cut.

#  Donald Trump calls for $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan 

# US President Trump said that "together, we are building a safe, strong and proud America. The state of  our union is strong, because our people are strong." 

# Struggling communities, especially immigrant communities, will also be helped by immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American workers and American families.

# President Trump on infrastructure: "As we rebuild our industries, it is also time to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure… America is a nation of builders.” 

# Trump also calls for paid family leave. That was not in his prepared remarks.

# Trump is obsessed with the size of his tax cut, can't admit it's not the biggest 

# I will not stop until our veterans are properly taken care of, which has been my promise to them from the very beginning of this great journey.

# "The era of economic surrender is over. From now on, we expect trading relationships to be fair and reciprocal."

# "I am asking both parties to come together to give us safe, fast, reliable, and modern infrastructure our economy needs and our people deserve."

# As we rebuild our industries, it is also time to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure

# President Trump is standing up for American interests and protecting American economic and national security by taking tough enforcement action against countries that break the rules.

# "One of my greatest priorities is to reduce the price of prescription drugs."

# This President says we’ll support veterans, and he means it. DOE supercomputers will help VA, HHS and DoD take veteran care to the next level

#  We have ended the war on beautiful clean coal

# Donald Trump calls on Democrats, Republicans to 'set aside' differences in his first State of the Union address

# "We are now, and very proudly, an exporter of energy to the world.

# The President has undertaken significant reforms at the VA, increasing accountability for veterans and providing them with the benefits they truly deserve.

# Trump has signed an executive order to keep Guantanamo Bay prison open - White House

# "Since its passage, my Administration has already removed more than 1,500 VA employees who failed to give our veterans the care they deserve..."

# There has never been a better time to start living the American dream. No matter where you have been, or where you come from, this is your time. If you work hard then you can dream anything, be anything and together we can achieve absolutely anything: US President Trump

# Trump calls on Democrats, Republicans to 'set aside' differences in his first State of the Union address

# There has never been a better time to start living the American dream. No matter where you have been, or where you come from, this is your time. If you work hard then you can dream anything, be anything and together we can achieve absolutely anything: US President Trump

# "To every citizen watching at home tonight — no matter where you've been, or where you come from, this is your time. If you work hard, if you believe in yourself... you can be anything, and together, we can achieve absolutely anything.”

# I call upon all of us to set aside our differences to seek common ground and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people, this is really the key, these are the people we are elected to serve: Donald J Trump

# A new tide of optimism already sweeping our land, each day since we have gone forward with a clear and righteous vision to make America great again for all Americans: US President Donald J Trump

# Washington D.C. : President of the United States Donald J Trump arrives to deliver 2018 State of the Union Address.

# President of the United States Donald J Trump to deliver 2018 State of the Union Address at shortly.

WATCH DONALD TRUMP'S ADDRESS: