Trump pushes for increased border funding

U.S. President Donald Trump said he wants Congress to pass a bill that includes an increase in funding to secure the country's borders.

Trump made the comments in a speech to House of Representatives Republicans gathered at his Doral resort in Miami to discuss how to turn the president's policy priorities into a legislative agenda.

Trump said the increase should include funding for more border security personnel and retention bonuses for Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel and border patrol agents.

The extra money should also pay for more detention beds, border security infrastructure and barriers, and completion of the border wall along the border with Mexico, Trump said.

During the GOP event, Trump also said he had raised “a lot” of money for the next presidential race and appeared to joke about running again saying "I think I'm not allowed to run again, I'm not sure."

The Republican who took office last January 20 also spoke about TikTok, tariffs and tax cuts expected during his administration.

"I'm going to give fast environmental approval for anybody building a plant for electric generation. And anybody that invests more than $1 billion will get super rapid approval," Trump said.

The U.S. military released footage of Marines fortifying the barrier on the border with Mexico, as the Trump administration took steps to curb illegal immigration.

The footage showed U.S. Marines reinforcing the border fence with metal beams and barbed wire.

Trump in his first day in office declared illegal immigration a national emergency, tasking the U.S. military with aiding border security, issuing a broad ban on asylum, and taking steps to restrict citizenship for children born on American soil.

His January 20 executive order instructed the Pentagon to send as many troops as necessary to obtain "complete operational control of the southern border of the United States."