Has there been a 1,700 percent increase in asylum claims? The numbers stack up.
But the claims of gaming the system are less supported.
Trump is talking about "credible fear" cases, which is spelled out in the Refugee Act of 1980. It's available for people unable or unwilling to return to their home country "because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion."
Migrants who are apprehended or unable to enter the country legally can claim "credible fear" in order to get a hearing before an immigration court.
The Homeland Security Department tracks cases in which a decision to grant a hearing has been made, which differs only slightly from the number of all claims made.
In 2007, 5,171 people claimed credible fear and had their cases reviewed.
In 2016, it was 91,786.
That represents a 1,675 percent hike, basically as Trump claimed.
Between 60 and 80 percent of those cases were approved for further court review. Overall, 20 percent of applicants were ultimately granted asylum in fiscal year 2017, the Homeland Security Department told us.