Fact check: Trump misplaces blame for 'Chuck Schumer beauty' visa law

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is blaming one Democrat for an immigration program that was backed by both parties and signed by a Republican president in 1990. The "Chuck Schumer beauty," as Trump called the program, was also George H.W. Bush's beauty.

A look at Trump's tweets Wednesday as he cast political blame on Schumer specifically and Democrats generally in the aftermath of the deadly truck attack in New York City, allegedly by a citizen of Uzbekistan.

TRUMP:

"The terrorist came into our country through what is called the 'Diversity Visa Lottery Program,' a Chuck Schumer beauty. I want merit based."

The terrorist came into our country through what is called the "Diversity Visa Lottery Program," a Chuck Schumer beauty. I want merit based.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1, 2017

"Senator Chuck Schumer helping to import Europes problems' said Col. Tony Shaffer. We will stop this craziness! @foxandfriends"

"Senator Chuck Schumer helping to import Europes problems" said Col.Tony Shaffer. We will stop this craziness! @foxandfriends

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1, 2017

THE FACTS: Schumer, then in the House, now a senator, did back the lottery program. It had bipartisan support in an era when legal immigration was less contentious. He also proposed eliminating it three years ago, colleagues say.

The Homeland Security Department confirmed after the tweets that the accused assailant immigrated under the diversity lottery program. He came to the United States in 2010.

The program is for people from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. It provides up to 50,000 visas annually by lottery. Applicants must have a high school diploma or meet work experience requirements. The program was created as part of a bipartisan immigration bill introduced by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and signed into law by Bush in 1990.

Schumer indeed proposed a program for "diversity immigrants" that year.

But Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said on Twitter that Trump was unfairly blaming Schumer for the diversity visa program. Flake, one of Trump's chief Republican foes in Congress, said Schumer was among a group of eight Republican and Democratic senators who proposed eliminating the program three years ago as part of a broader bipartisan bill to overhaul U.S. immigration laws.

Flake, who served on that "Gang of Eight" with Schumer, said: "I know. I was there."

Actually, the Gang of 8, including @SenSchumer, did away with the Diversity Visa Program as part of broader reforms. I know, I was there https://t.co/QQFJzPyRzC

— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) November 1, 2017

The immigration bill ultimately failed in the GOP-led House after passing the Senate in June 2013, 68-32, with 14 Republicans joining Democrats.

Schumer, meantime, cited cuts proposed by Trump in certain anti-terrorism programs. He mentioned, among other programs, a proposed cut of more than 25 percent in the Urban Area Security Initiative, which helps cities prevent, respond to and recover from acts of terrorism.

My full statement in response to President Trump’s proposed funding cuts to anti-terrorism efforts: pic.twitter.com/L0S6K1WkLX

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) November 1, 2017

In the Trump tweet, his reference to Europe's problems belies the fact that Uzbekistan is in Asia, not Europe. However, the State Department categorizes Uzbekistan and other former Soviet republics under Europe in its lottery program.

The lottery is extended to citizens of most countries, excepting about 20. Among the excluded countries are many that already have high rates of emigration to the U.S., such as Mexico, Canada and India.

In the most recent figures, the State Department selected more than 125,000 people in 2015 for the lottery program, accepting the first 50,000 who applied for visas. Among them, citizens of Cameroon, Liberia, Congo, Iran and Nepal led the list, with about 5,000 visa slots each. Citizens of Uzbekistan also figured prominently in the lottery, with 4,368 selected.

Those numbers don't necessarily reflect who actually came because the number was capped at the first 50,000 who applied for visas after winning the lottery.

TRUMP tweet on merit-based immigration: "We are fighting hard for Merit Based immigration, no more Democrat Lottery Systems. We must get MUCH tougher (and smarter)."

We are fighting hard for Merit Based immigration, no more Democrat Lottery Systems. We must get MUCH tougher (and smarter). @foxandfriends

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1, 2017

THE FACTS: The president has taken steps to push for a merit-based immigration system but many of those efforts are still under development.

In August, Trump embraced legislation that would dramatically reduce legal immigration and shift the nation toward a system that prioritizes merit and skills over family ties.

The president promoted the bill, which would eliminate the Diversity Visa Program, at a White House event with Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and David Perdue of Georgia. But the legislation has yet to gain any significant traction and is pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The White House has signaled that it may seek some of these changes in coming negotiations with Democrats over a legislative solution that would extend protections first granted under former President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. Trump is phasing out DACA, but has given Congress time to act before recipients' work permits begin to expire.

A set of immigration principles laid out by the administration last month included calls for a "merit-based" immigration system that would end so-called "chain migration" by limiting family-based green cards to include spouses and minor children. But it remains unclear if Trump will insist on these changes in the DACA talks.

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Associated Press writer Ken Thomas contributed to this report.