President Donald Trump delivered one of the most confrontational moments of his State of the Union address Tuesday night when he directly challenged Democrats over immigration and sanctuary city policies, accusing them of refusing to stand up for American citizens over criminal illegal aliens.
At one point, Trump invited lawmakers to visibly affirm a core principle of his administration’s immigration agenda.
“I’m inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle,” Trump said while looking toward the Democratic side of the chamber. “If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support. The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.”
Most Democrats remained seated during the moment, drawing sharp criticism from the president.
“You should be ashamed of yourself, not standing up,” Trump said. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
Trump also criticized sanctuary city policies, arguing they endanger public safety by shielding criminal offenders from federal immigration enforcement. His remarks appeared to provoke visible reactions from progressive Democrats, including Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, both outspoken critics of Trump’s immigration agenda.
During the exchange, Trump singled out the Democratic caucus more broadly for what he described as prioritizing illegal immigrants over American citizens. He later expanded his critique to what he called the cultural and security consequences of unrestricted immigration.
“The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens,” Trump repeated, adding that importing lawlessness through open borders would bring corruption and violence into the United States.
Democrats have argued that sanctuary policies protect immigrant communities and encourage cooperation with local law enforcement, while Republicans say they undermine border security and public safety.
The tense exchange became one of the most talked-about moments of the night, underscoring the deep divide between Trump and congressional Democrats on immigration ahead of a contentious election cycle.
