Trump advocates merit-based immigration

​Washington: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has advocated a merit-based immigration system, in an apparent reference to the long Green Card approval process for high-tech professionals from countries like India.

"People are waiting on line now 10 years. We're gonna streamline because we want people to come in, but we want them to come in legally. And we want merit, too," Trump told his supporters in Manchester, New Hampshire.

While he did not explain further, his remarks could be linked to the nearly 10-year-long wait for IT professionals from India for Green Card or permanent residency. On the other hand, millions of people have entered the country illegally.

"We want to take wonderful, great people that love our country, they want to get out and they want to do a great job. We want to have them also come in based on merit. A word you don't hear anymore. A word you don't hear any more. It's too bad," Trump said.

"We want people to come into our country, but they have to come in legally. They have to come in through a legal process. We want a lot of people to come in," he said.

At another election rally in Lisbon in Maine, he said the Trump administration will secure and defend the borders of the US.

"We will build that wall. Countless Americans who have died in recent years would be alive today if not for the open border policies of this administration," he said.