- The State of the Unionis often seen as a chance

for presidents to outlinetheir future agenda.

It's also an opportunity

to look back at theirpast accomplishments.

Amber Strong has this lookat last year's address,

along with the promisesPresident Trump made

to the American people.

- Promises made, promises kept.

During last year Stateof the Union address,

President Trump made a lot of pledges

to the American people.

So how did he do?

(clapping)

- [Trump] A typical familyof four making $75,000

will see their tax bill reduced.

- [Amber] So far experts predict

that will be a promise kept.

Taxpayers can expect to seethe full effect this year.

- We are appointingjudges who will interpret

the Constitution as written.

- [Amber] Put that in thepromises kept file too.

In fact, the Cynic confirmmore than 60 judicial nominees,

in 2018 alone.

- I Brett M. Kavanaugh do solemnly swear.

- [Amber] And added asecond Supreme Court justice

to the rossting.

- We are totally defendingour Second Amendment.

- [Amber] Second Amendmentadvocates might disagree.

Three pro gun groups aresuing the administration

over its recent ban on bump stocks,

(gun shots)

device that gain notoriety

after the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting.

- We are hiring talented people

who love our vets

as much as we do.

- [Amber] Last year, the President signed

the largest budget inhistory for Veterans Affairs.

Funding mental health coverage

and private healthcareopportunities for vets.

Constant turnover andconfusion at the top however,

helped define the year.

and an IT glitch left thousandsof vets without benefits.

The President and Congress fixthe issue in late December.

But as of now, the VA remains

the holy grail of the presidency.

- These members have reacheda bipartisan agreement.

Did I hear the word bipartisan?

(laughter)

- [Amber] And then perhaps the most

consequential promise kept,all sides came together

fulfilling that state of the union vow

for criminal justice reform.

(laughter)

It was the Kumbaya momentthe American people

had been waiting for.

And there was also this moment.

- If we don't get what we want,

one way or the other,

whether it's throughyou, through a military,

through anything you want to call,

I will shut down the government.

And I am proud--

- [Amber] The Presidentpromised immigration overhaul,

but his dream for a$5.7 billion border wall

ran into a congressional brick wall

led by Pelosi and Schumer.

- If he sticks to hisposition for $5 billion wall,

he will get no wall andhe will get a shutdown.

- [Amber] The result,

the longest partial governmentshut down in history

and a promise yet to be fulfilled.

Amber Strong, CBN News in Washington.

- Well, Tony Perkins ofthe Family Research Council

joins us now for more.

Tony, great to have youthanks for being here.

- Good to be with y'all.

- You know, President Trumpgiven some of his past rhetoric,

one of the themes of tonight'sspeech is going to be unity,

but is he gonna have trouble doing though?

And given some of the tweetsthat he's put out there,

so the insults that he sees given.

- Interesting question.

I was actually discusseda little bit yesterday.

I was at the White House in the meeting

with some of his staff and the President,

the Vice President discussingthe State of the Union.

You know, I think in part this is me,

based on the conversationsthat took place.

The President does want to unify America,

he wants to go to the American people.

And that's what the Stateof the Union address is,

he's able to go for 90 minutesunfiltered by the media,

and talk about what thisadministration has accomplished.

And yes, some of its beendone through bipartisanship,

but he's trying to build unitywith the American people,

not necessarily thosehere in Washington, DC

who's spent their days

you're trying to tear down this country

that despise what America stands for,

and try to trip up his administration.

That's not where he's going for unity.

- That's a good delineation.

We're coming off the longestgovernment shutdown in history,

another one looms in just about 10 days

if an agreement can't be reached.

How much do you think that hangs over

the President and his speech tonight?

- I think it's quite significant.

I think the President realizes

and he's going to make a casetoday for national security,

foreign policy is goingto be a key component.

But I think when you look at the border,

I mean, he's going to continue,

and he's done this very well, I believe,

in my conversations with him

over the last few weeksduring the shutdown

is drawing America's attention to

the humanitarian crisis on our border.

This is not just about a concrete barrier.

This is about the opioids

that are destroyingfamilies all across America.

This is about women and children

that are being traffickedacross that southern border,

and putting a stop to it

and I think he's gonna make that case

very compelling tonight.

- Yeah, Tony, you know,better than anybody else.

White evangelicals are amonghis strongest supporters space.

How will he appeal theappeal to them tonight?

There's the abortion issue.

We're kind of looking to seeif he might bring that up?

What do you think?

- Well, I think I wouldbe surprised if he didn't,

because he has talked about that.

He's tweeted about it.

You've got the NationalPrayer Breakfast this week.

He certainly going totalk about it this week.

I think he's going to talkabout religious freedom.

He's going to talk about

some of the administration'saccomplishments

in this first two years.

Pastor Andrew Bronson is going to be

in the audience at the State of the Union.

I mean, he would not be sitting there

if it were not for the diligence

and determination ofDonald Trump and his team.

So...

Look, evangelicals remainamong his top supporters

if not his top supporters,

because he has done what hehas said he was going to do.

They don't agree with everything.

I mean, I think we'reworking through some issues.

He's going to talk about Syriatonight, some Christians,

you know, evangelicals a little concerned

about to rapid have a pull out of Syria.

I know your Chris Mitchell of CBN

has been over there onthe ground looking at it.

I mean, this is aremarkable turn of events

that we're seeing in Syria since ISIS,

we've got this um...

little carve out in southeast,

in southern, rather, in northeast Syria,

where democracy istaking religious freedom

only place outside of Israel.

So I think the administration gets that

and it's going to be a plan to phase out,

that's not going tojeopardize that region.

I think he's going to talkabout that tonight as well.

- Tony Perkins of theFamily Research Council.

Thank you so much for being with us.

- Great to be with you guys.

- [Narrator] When we come back,

we hear first-hand from the people

benefiting from the recently passed

criminal justice reform law,

who also just happens to bea guest to the President,

and Mrs. Trump tonight atthe State of the Union.

(upbeat music)

- [Narrator] The law statesthat no person shall convert

any person from onereligious faith to another.

- Who is he?

- [Male] And yet not onemissionary has been charged.

- Graham Staines, niceto properly meet you.

- [Male] You bring me evidence

of illegal conversion by Graham Staines.

I'll give you a permanent position.

(upbeat music)

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- [Narrator] Attention, if you currently

do not get health insurancethrough your employer,

or the if you do nothave health insurance,

or if you just got divorced or married,

had a baby, moved, or lostyour health insurance coverage.

Listen closely, you are eligible

for a new healthcare planusing Jealth Insurance America.

A family of four can makeup to $97,000 a year,

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- One of the President andFirst Lady's guest tonight

at the State of the Unionwill be Matthew Charles.

He was one of the first people to benefit

from the Criminal Reformmeasure President Trump signed

to let unlock late last year.

- Amber Strong recentlytraveled to Tennessee

to meet with Charles andto get his story firsthand,

and she joins us once again, Amber?

- That's right Matthew'sstor-- Matthew Charles's story

captivated journalist for nearly a year.

He was released from prisonafter serving almost two decades

for a crack cocaine conviction.

Upon his release, he found a job,

he volunteered at a food pantry.

Kind of everything you wouldexpect from a redemption story,

but he was put back inprison at no part of his own

but due to a court technicality.

Well, the First Step Act madehis time serve retroactive,

and led to his release.

Now after his release,Charles praises the President.

He praises Congress.

He praises his attorneys,

but most importantly he praise God.

Take a listen as he explained to me

the moment he got acall from his attorney,

saying he was a free man.

- [Matthew] I thought wewere just going to discuss

(mumbles) you know, speakwith me, see how I was doing

mentally, spiritually and physically

But when I get on the phone,

and I contacted Ms. MariahWuten was my lead attorney.

And Mr. Michael Holly assists her,

and she's a hold on let me get Mr. Harley,

And once you get to meet him in office,

there she was like "you ready?",

and I was like "ready for what?",

and she's like "you're going home".

- That's truly an amazingstory to hear you guys.

- Well Amber, other than being celebrated

by the President tonight,what is Mr. Charles doing now?

- John, we met up in Nashville.

He was back at the oldpantry again volunteering,

and he said working at that pantry

and then going back toprison taught him that

even he in that circumstancehad a lot to be thankful for.

- You'd learned somethingduring that time.

You compare the peopleyou met here with prison

that you had just left.

What did you learn?

- Well then prison likesay people are people

and there's always people in need.

Even in there like setting providers,

three meals and a cut tosleep on our bunk, you know,

a sale the sleep in.

Whereas here, the people come to receive

and someone may be homeless,someone may be poor,

someone may be single-parent families,

and things of that naturebut they're still people.

- It's truly a remarkable story

and I have that fullinterview with Mr. Charles

later on this month on the 700 Club.

- I'm looking forward to it

Thank you Amber.

We will be right back.

(upbeat music)

- [Female] It seems we've been left alone.

- [Narrator] The law statesthat no person shall convert

any person from onereligious faith to another

- Who is he?

- [Narrator] And yet not onemissionary has been charged.

- Graham Stains, niceto properly meet you.

- Those a beautiful film- Phenomenal.

- It was really really amazing.

(energetic music)

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You don't lift a finger,and job is done right.

Shop at home.

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Professional installations.

That's Empire Today.

- [Narrator] Get $250 off new floors.

Call a special number on your screen now.

- [Narrator] Attention!

If you currently do notget health insurance

through your employer, or if you do not

have health insurance, orif you just got divorced,

or married, had a baby, moved

or lost your insurance coverage.

Listen closely, you are eligible for a new

healthcare plan usingHealth Insurance America.

A family of four can makeup to $97,000 dolars a year

and still qualify fora new healthcare plan.

Get coverage for doctor visits,prescriptions, hospital,

dental and vision foras little as $25 a week,

with co-pays as low as $0 .

Health insurance rate has nearly

doubled in the last three years.

Stop paying the rising costof traditional major medical.

Learn how Heath InsuranceAmerica is saving people

thousands of a year ontheir healthcare plans.

Don't waste hours on the phone,or on a government website.

Talk to a live healthcareconsultant right now.

Call 1-800-940-5020,

that's 1-800-940-5020.

1-800-940-5020.

- President Trump is expectedto hit on immigration

during a State of theUnion speech tonight.

- And ahead of that,correspondent Chuck Holton

traveled to Arizona to hear firsthand

from locals and law enforcement.

- [Chuck] Warner Glenn'sfamily first settled here

along the Arizona-Mexico border in 1896.

At 83 years old, Glennworks the ranch each day

and is well-known throughout the area.

He said illegal immigrants had always been

a part of the landscape.

- We moved down herein 62 and at that time,

there would be two or threeillegals coming through

and looking for work

and all the ranchers work them on and off.

They were wonderful forspecially hard labor type work

and good cowboys (mumbles) cowboys.

But I tell you nowadays, the few

that are coming throughare pretty hardcore,

especially the drug guys.

- [Chuck] And now residents on the border

are seeing an overall rise in crime.

- When they come back,if they go by a residence

and nobody's there, they'regonna go in and look around.

And firearms, top of the list.

Any kind of jewelry, top of the list.

Cash, top of the list.

- We don't lock the doors

because they just break the window anyway.

- [Chuck] Billy Grossman lives nearby,

and illegals have enteredhis home a number of times.

He recently caught a smugglertrying to steal his truck.

- Well, I brought him back to the house,

and my wife called the Sheriff.

And the Sheriff andBorder Patrol come out,

and got him and then wewent back to the pickup,

and there was a bail ofmarijuana in the back

of my pickup, and hehad stole a lot of stuff

from the house.

- [Chuck] But pettytheft isn't what worries

these old cowboys the most.

- And that would be nothingto a terrorist from ISIS

for these guys (mumbles)to take walk for them

to go up through these mountains.

- Well if it's easy foran unemployed Mexican

to walk across here, ISIScomes in here simple.

- [Chuck] In fact 3755 knownor suspected terrorists

were prevented fromtraveling to or entering

the United States by theDepartment of Homeland Security

in fiscal year 2018.

(cow mooing)

- This is one of theloneliest border crossings

on the US southern border.

It's on the Tohono O'odhamIndian reservation,

which is about 4000 square miles of desert

on the US southern border in Arizona.

The Tohono O'odham people liveon both sides of the border,

and they used to cross with impunity,

but it's getting harder now for them

to visit their relativesbecause of the incredible

amount of human smugglingand drug trafficking

that happens in this area.

- [Chuck] Unemployment on the reservation

sits at more than 25%.

While the average annualincome is only $8,000.

This makes smuggling anattractive proposition

when cartel members offerup to $5,000 per load.

Matt Thomas is a deputy in Pinal County,

just north of the reservation.

- That is all open desert.

And there's small villagesthroughout the reservation,

but no major towns, no major cities,

very minimal population,very minimal law enforcement.

So they don't have a lot ofinterference to deal with

between Mexico, and whenthey hit our county.

There's a huge area that the cartel uses

to cross into the USwhere they go undetected.

And as they cross into that area,

then they start to funnel

because of terrain ports our county.

- [Chuck] That makescatching these smugglers

more and more challenging

and this corridor has becomeknown for violence too.

Last year a border agentwas shot by smugglers

as he patrolled alone in thevast desert west of Nogales.

- Those that want to comein this country and harm us.

Terrorist have the infrastructureto get through here

in Cochise county.

- [Chuck] Cochise County'sSheriff Mark Daniels overseas

a border county coveringmore land than Connecticut.

He said when the governmentfails to take a strong stand

on immigration, it onlymakes things worse.

- Anytime this administrationtalks about NFC

or anything that is with the border,

we have an influx of people coming across.

We sit back all the time just wonder

why won't they do somethingto fix this problem.

- [Chuck] President Trumphas so far had difficulty

making long term changesto truly stem the tide.

And while the politicians point fingers,

the cartels are ramping up their business.

Over the last 10 years, theamount of cocaine coming across

the southern border has more than doubled.

The amount of methamphetamine,fentanyl, and heroin seized

has increased as much as 4,000%.

While the 5000 members of theUS military currently deployed

along the border bolsterexisting barriers.

The additional air assets they provide

are also giving border agents a faster way

to respond when they get alerted.

- It's been a great partnership.

We've had extreme success.

Just the other day wewere able to apprehend

three different groups within,you know, a two-hour window.

And traditionally, if wewere just on the ground,

that could take one agentabout four to five hours

to apprehend one group.

- [Chuck] With the cartelsrushing to take advantage

of the crisis, and withCongress in the White House

at odds about solutions,the troops on the border

are going to stay aslong as they are needed

on the US-Mexico border.

I'm Chuck Holten, for CBN News.

- [John] Thanks, Chuck.

Well, just another quick reminder,

you can see our special coverageof the State of the Union

on the CBN News Channel,beginning at 8:30 tonight.

We'll carry the President's speech

and the democratic response,

as well as provide some live analysis.

- [Wendy] Yeah, big night in Washington.

One of the biggest of the year really.

- Big night indeed.

Well, that's going to do itfor tonight's faith nation.

- We'll see you right back here at 8:30.

(upbeat music)