Roundup: Trump gov't exploits New York blast to push immigration reforms

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday evening urged his country to fix its lax immigration system, in response to an explosion striking downtown New York, injuring several and causing chaos during the morning rush hour.

The United States "must fix its lax immigration system, which allows far too many dangerous, inadequately vetted people" into the country, said Trump, urging the Congress to terminate "chain migration" in which family members are permitted to join relatives who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Earlier in the day, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions also used the pipe bomb blast to criticize the nation's "failed immigration policies," calling for introducing a merit-based immigration system.

Those who are highly-skilled, well-educated and have learned English should get priority ahead of relatives of American citizens, said Sessions.

At the White House daily press briefing, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also called for immigration reforms based on merit-based rules, saying the attack on New York is evidence that the United States needs to boost border security.

"This attack underscores the need for Congress to work with the president on immigration reforms that enhance the national security and public safety," she said.

"We know that the president's policy calls for an end to chain migration, which is what this individual came to the United States through, and if his policy had been in place, then that attacker would not have been allowed to come in the country," Sanders said.

A 27-year-old man, identified as Akayed Ullah from Bangladesh, allegedly detonated a homemade pipe bomb in a subway corridor near Times Square Monday morning, injuring himself and three others and causing chaos during the rush hour, the New York authorities said, calling it "an attempted terror attack."

Bangladesh is not on the list of countries impacted by the president's travel ban, but the White House said the suspect was allowed into the country on a family immigrant visa that the administration has sought to curb. Enditem