US President Donald Trump turned a routine flagpole unveiling into an unexpected second on Wednesday, jokingly asking construction workers exterior the White House, “Any illegal immigrants here?” as cameras rolled and reporters seemed on.“Any illegal immigrants here?” Trump requested the workers, who had been sporting exhausting hats and standing behind him. Some of them chuckled and shook their heads in response.The question adopted a reporter’s question about Trump’s new deportation push. “We’re taking them out by the thousands. Murderers, drug dealers, people that are mentally insane, from insane asylums,” Trump stated earlier than turning to the workers.He then added, “Do we have anybody here who’s a member of — no, I don’t think so. You’ve known these people for a long time? Any illegal immigrants?” He continued, “If there were, we’ll find out. Your whole life will be destroyed because of this press conference. They’ll destroy these people. I didn’t want to tell them that before they stood up.”Despite the remarks being delivered in a seemingly light-hearted tone, Trump’s feedback drew consideration on account of his administration’s ongoing hardline immigration stance. He reassured the workers: “Don’t worry, I think you’re gonna be OK.”The press convention adopted the set up of two 88-foot flagpoles, which Trump stated had been a private present to the White House. Writing on social media the day earlier than, he stated, “These are the most magnificent poles made – They are tall, tapered, rust proof, rope inside the pole, and of the highest quality.”Trump additionally stated the poles had been “always missing from this magnificent place” and hoped they’d stay there for years.The flagpoles had been put in at Trump’s instruction amid his renewed push to ramp up deportations of undocumented immigrants throughout main US cities. In a latest social media publish, Trump instructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to do “all in their power” to hold out what he known as the biggest mass deportation effort in historical past.“In order to achieve this, we must expand efforts to detain and deport illegal aliens in America’s largest cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where millions upon millions of illegal aliens reside,” he wrote over the weekend.