“This is probably going to be... the most pro-black president I’ve seen in my lifetime,” said Pastor Darrell Scott, a supporter of the president. WASHINGTON — President Trump focused on efforts to reform the prison system Wednesday, meeting with faith leaders and lawmakers at the White House. In a roundtable discussion with nearly 20 inner city pastors and faith leaders, Trump touted a low unemployment rate and booming economy that he said would make it easier for former prisoners to reintegrate into society.<br /><br />“We have passed the First Step Act through the House and we are working to pass that into law, and I think we’ll be able to do it. When we say 'hire American,' we mean all Americans,” the president told a group that included Trump supporters Paul White-Cain, Alveda King and Pastor Darrell Scott, along with celebrity pastor John Gray. White House chief of staff General John Kelly and son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner were also present.<br /><br />The House passed the bipartisan prison reform bill in May.<br />Trump speaks out in support of prison reform<br /><br />Following Wednesday's event, Trump met with a group of lawmakers to discuss the issue. The group, which met behind closed doors, included GOP prison and sentencing reform advocates such as Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.)<br /><br />The largely pro-Trump group present at the public event praised the president for his efforts on criminal justice reform and the economy. "This is probably the most pro-active administration regarding urban America and the faith-based community in my lifetime," said Scott, a Trump surrogate during the 2016 campaign.<br /><br />"This president actually wants to prove something to our community, our faith-based community and our ethnic community. The last president didn’t feel like he had to. He got a pass,” he added, referring to President Obama. “This is probably going to be... the most pro-black president I’ve seen in my lifetime.”<br />Image: Darrell Scott<br />Pastor Darrell Scott, a Trump supporter, compared the president's outreach efforts favorably to President Obama's.Andrew Harnik / AP<br /><br />Trump, who has said improving life in urban areas is a priority, boasted that he has "done far more for inner cities than anyone else." As a candidate in 2016, he drew controversy for comparing safety in the nation's urban areas unfavorably to that in Afghanistan.<br /><br />In May, Trump held a prison reform summit, meeting with activists and former inmates.<br />Recommended<br />Military vet’s wife before deportation: America is ‘getting full of hate’<br />Top national security officials warn Russia still trying to interfere with U.S. elections<br /><br />Weeks later, he met with reality star Kim Kardashian West.
