Heartwarming Progress On Many Fronts . . .

‘Our hearts are encouraged by the people of Texas’

For many Americans, December will be a month of rejuvenation before the New Year. But for families who lives were turned upside down by natural disasters in Texas, California, Florida, Puerto Rico, Louisiana, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the road to recovery can be long and difficult—months after the news cycle has moved on to other stories.

First Lady Melania Trump and Second Lady Karen Pence will travel to Texas today to thank first responders, meet with affected families, and help volunteers at a local food bank. “Our hearts are encouraged by the people of Texas,” the Second Lady said, “and their continued enthusiasm to help each other pick up the pieces and rebuild after Hurricane Harvey.”

“As Christmas and the New Year approach, I encourage people to lend their time volunteering or providing financial support to those still reeling from the hurricanes,” the First Lady said.

Read more about the visit here.

The numbers suggest immigration enforcement is a win-win.

Since the start of the Trump Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) removal team has made 110,568 arrests—a year-over-year jump of 40 percent. This more aggressive approach to law and order comes with a twist: Apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border itself dropped this fiscal year. 

This result bolsters President Trump’s core message on immigration. If America upholds the rule of law across the country, fewer immigrants will put their families at risk by crossing into the U.S. illegally. Preserving the integrity of a lawful system—including by building a physical barrier at the border—will save lives and restore the promise of a safer, happier, and more welcoming beginning for new Americans. 

Regardless of ideology, that’s something we should all hope for.

See more of ICE’s “By the Numbers FY 2017” here. 

‘It means a lot to us seeing the reform’ 
Too often when we talk about fixing the business tax code, folks in Washington picture big, multinational firms they’re familiar with: Apple, Walmart, Verizon, and so on. These companies matter, but the Fortune 500 only accounts for about 17 percent of the U.S. workforce.
Small businesses, on the other hand, employ nearly half of all American private-sector workers. The President wants to hear more of their stories. So he invited four families to join him at the White House yesterday to discuss how Congress and the Administration can help.
Their bios are impressive and distinctly American:

• Jessica Unruh is a State Senator and coal-mining employee in North Dakota
• Jason Beardsley is a former Special Forces veteran and co-owner of an apparel company
• Aaron Williams is a marketing director at a creative company in Indianapolis, Indiana 
• Brian Steorts is a veteran of 15 years and owner of a business called Flags of Valor 

“It means a lot to us seeing the reform,” Beardsley said. Read the President’s remarks here.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

President Donald J. Trump meets with American business owners and their families  | December 5, 2017 (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead) 

POTUS TODAY

The President will hold a meeting of his Cabinet today, which will include an update on America’s National Security Strategy. Stay tuned for a detailed breakdown coming soon.

COMING UP

Tomorrow, the President will honor and remember those Americans whose lives were lost in the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941.