Trump says he wants people to come to the US legally

President Donald Trump has said he wants immigrants to come to the US legally and through a system based on merit so that they can enjoy safety and liberty, insisting that Americans cannot surrender operational control over the nation's borders to foreign cartels.

Trump's remarks came on Friday as he defended his plan for a wall along the US-Mexico border after reaching a deal with congressional leaders Friday to reopen the government for three weeks despite getting no new funding for the structure.

"As Commander-in-Chief, my highest priority is the defence of our great country. We cannot surrender operational control over the nation's borders to foreign cartels, traffickers, and smugglers. We want future Americans to come to our country legally and through a system based on merit," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Trump said the he needs people to come to the country.

"We have great companies moving back into the United States. There are more people working today in the ...