U.S. Rep. Jason Smith voiced support Wednesday for Donald Trump’s executive actions, contending the new president “has done more to help working-class Americans” in his first several days in office than his predecessor did in eight years.

“He has put his heart and soul into it, and I am pretty impressed with that,” Smith said.

The 8th District Republican congressman praised Trump for taking steps to build a wall along the nation’s border with Mexico and block federal grants to “sanctuary cities” such as San Francisco and Chicago, whose local governments have implemented policies that protect people living in the country illegally from deportation.

Trump’s actions build upon existing federal laws, he said.

Smith said Congress approved legislation to build a wall years ago, but President Barack Obama refused to proceed with construction.

City leaders in sanctuary cities are violating federal law by not reporting people living in the country illegally to federal authorities, Smith said, adding he expects the GOP-led Congress to introduce legislation to crack down further on such cities.

Trump on Wednesday also signed an executive order to hire thousands of new border patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Smith said while the president wants to beef up staff in those categories, Trump is committed to reducing the overall number of federal employees.

The president’s executive orders are “within the law” and in many cases simply are undoing orders signed by Obama, Smith said.

Smith commented on Trump’s actions while in Philadelphia for the start of a three-day issues retreat for GOP House and Senate members.

Trump is scheduled to meet with the lawmakers today.

Smith also agreed with Trump’s actions about the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

The Trump administration implemented a media blackout at the EPA and barred staff from awarding any new contracts or grants.

Trump signed a directive shortly after his inauguration, ordering a “freeze pending review” on all federal rules issued by agencies but not in effect.

In an emailed statement Tuesday, Smith said Trump “campaigned promising to change the way things were done and folks shouldn’t be surprised when his actions live up to those words,”

Smith said. “Under the last administration, the EPA was one of the most aggressive, anti-businesses, anti-farmer, heavy handed regulatory agencies.”

Smith added in the statement he has “long been concerned about agencies like the EPA using taxpayer money to run a public relations outfit to sell their latest rule or regulation.”

Smith said that is the reason he authored the “End EPA Advertising Act” in 2015 to “ban taxpayer dollars from being used to run a social-media campaign against rural America.”

He added, “Just as President Trump has ordered a freezing and review of all federal regulations, he is within his right to review the key architects who helped craft some of the most harmful regulations on rural America at these agencies.”

On Wednesday, the lawmaker from Salem, Missouri, contended the EPA unfairly advocated for environmentalists during the past administration.

Smith said some Obama-supporting employees in federal agencies have pushed back against Trump.

Until the Senate has confirmed all of Trump’s Cabinet secretaries and other political appointments have been made, “we can’t start cleaning out these agencies,” he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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