U.S. President Donald Trump kicked off a wide-ranging immigration crackdown after taking office on January 20, aiming to reduce illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border and deport record numbers of immigrants without legal status.

Mr. Trump's first speech to Congress during his second term comes as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has stonewalled on questions about the administration's immigration enforcement efforts.

President Trump repeatedly returned to the subject of illegal immigration on Tuesday night, when he touted his record and took aim at how Democrats have handled the issue.

Republicans accused the mayors of New York, Chicago, Denver and Boston of providing sanctuary to criminals, while Democrats pointed to falling crime rates and defended helping the needy.

Mayors of four of the largest cities in the U.S. appeared before lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday to defend their so-called "sanctuary city" laws, which restrict local officials in helping enforce federal immigration regulations.