Donald Trump has said a “big day” is planned on national security, including an announcement to build a wall on the border between the US and Mexico.
The new US president is expected to sign several executive orders regarding immigration and border security over the next few days.
They are likely to include the “extreme vetting” of people coming from seven predominantly Muslim countries in the Middle East and Africa.
This would restrict refugee access.
Mr Trump tweeted: “Big day planned on national security tomorrow. Among many other things, we will build the wall!”
Building a 2,000-mile wall along the Mexican border was one of his key proposals during the presidential election campaign.
There will also be measures that force so-called sanctuary cities in the US to co-operate with the authorities on deporting illegal immigrants.
“Sanctuary cities” are places that don’t arrest or detain immigrants living in the country illegally.
Illegal immigrants stopped in US border states, 1 Oct 2014-30 Sep 2015
Later this week, Mr Trump is expected to announce immigration restrictions from seven African and Middle Eastern countries, including Syria, Yemen, and Iraq.
He is also likely to halt access to the country for some refugees – until the vetting process can be made more rigorous.
The BBC’s David Willis in Washington says immigration and humanitarian organisations are likely to be outraged by the measures.
Trita Parsi, from the National Iranian American Council, said: “Donald Trump is making good on the most shameful and discriminatory promises he made on the campaign trail.
“He called for a Muslim ban and is now taking the first steps to implement one. This will not stand. The American people are better than this.”
BBC North America editor Jon Sopel said: “Throughout this week the new president has been making a series of down payments on his most high profile election pledges.
“On Monday and Tuesday, jobs and trade; today, border security.”
The US President also took to Twitter to express his concern about the level of violence in Chicago.
He threatened to “send in the Feds” – federal authorities – if the city did not “fix the horrible carnage” taking place.
Local media has said that more than 40 people have been murdered and 228 shot so far in 2017.
The Chicago Police Department said it was “more than willing to work” with federal agencies to “boost federal prosecution rates for gun crimes” in the city.
Source: BBC