WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump said in an Oval Office address that there is a "growing humanitarian and security crisis" at the U.S.-Mexico border, though crossings have fallen in recent years. 

        >  To read the president's address to the nation, click here.

The president said Tuesday night that all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled illegal immigration. He says it strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages.

Trump says among those hit hardest by illegal immigration are African-Americans and Hispanics, though he did not provide any evidence to back that up.

The president is trying to convince Americans that the flow of immigrants into the U.S. illegally at the southern border is a crisis.

He asserts that the government remains shut down because Democrats won't fund border security.

Pres. Trump again claims, without evidence, that the "wall will also be paid for indirectly by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico." https://t.co/b27gkzHwTx pic.twitter.com/ZvH89kXWXU

Trending News

• Man arrested in dating app meet-up that turned into shooting near Baton Rouge club
• Alleged drug dealer arrested on murder charges after man overdosed on fentanyl

— ABC News (@ABC) January 9, 2019

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the president has "chosen fear" in making the case to the American people for the border wall and Democrats "want to start with the facts."

Pelosi said Tuesday night in a rebuttal to President Donald Trump's Oval Office address that "we all agree that we need to secure our borders."

She noted that the House passed legislation to reopen government on the first day of the new Congress. But Trump rejects that legislation because it doesn't have funding for his border wall.

She says: "The fact is: President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis, and must reopen the government."

Chuck Schumer: "The symbol of America should be the Statue of Liberty — not a 30 foot wall. So our suggestion is a simple one: Mr. President, reopen the government and we can work to resolve our differences over border security, but end this shutdown now." https://t.co/wXvinJMpBa pic.twitter.com/STSsVpGUv6

— ABC News (@ABC) January 9, 2019

House Republican Whip Steve Scalise responded to the president's address Tuesday night.

"These facts may not fit the narrative of Democrats, but they cannot be ignored," Scalise wrote. "Democrats need to stop playing games with our safety and secure our border."

.@realDonaldTrump made it clear: we are in the midst of a humanitarian and national security crisis. These facts may not fit the narrative of Democrats, but they cannot be ignored. Democrats need to stop playing games with our safety and #SecureOurBorder.

My full statement ↓ pic.twitter.com/zyICRind0A

— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) January 9, 2019