US President Donald Trump signed directives on Wednesday to begin building a wall along the two-thousand-mile US border with Mexico to curb illegal immigration and boost national security.

Trump signed the orders at the department of homeland security, whose responsibilities include immigration and border security.

The Republican president is also expected to take steps to curb legal immigration including executive orders restricting refugees and blocking the issuing of visas to people from several Muslim-majority Middle Eastern and North African countries including Syria.

Tags: orders construction of wall along U.S. border with Mexico, Pres. Trump