"I would like to add the words "merit" into any bill that's submitted because I think we should have merit-based immigration like they have in Canada, like they have in Australia.
"So we have people coming in that have a great track record, as opposed to what we're doing now, to be honest with you," he said during his meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers at the White House.
Trump's comments found support from several lawmakers.
"I want to get a merit-based immigration system to make sure we can succeed in the 21st century, and I'm willing to be more than fair to the 11 million. I just don't want to do this every 20 years," Senator Lindsay Graham said.
When House Majority Leader Congressman Kevin McCarthy said the reform would focus on three pillars - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA, border security and ending chain migration, Trump interrupted, asking him to "add merit" in any immigration legislation.
"I think you should add merit. I mean, if you can, add merit-based.
I don't think -- I don't know who is going to argue with merit-based? Who can argue with merit-based?" he asked amid laughter from those present in the room.
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