Jeff Sessions (America-AL) Continues Leading the Fight Against the Illegal Human Being Amnesty/Immigration Surge Bill!
Posted by Nicholas Stix
A tip 'o the hate to my VDARE colleague, Alan Wall.
Sessions leading opposition to immigration bill on Senate floor
By al.com
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June 07, 2013 at 12:08 P.M., updated June 07, 2013 at 5:23 P.M.
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U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile (Press-Register file)
Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile, spoke at length today on the Senate floor, leading the national opposition to the Gang of Eight immigration reforms.
Sessions argued that amnesty would spawn more "lawlessnes," that the country needs improved border patrol and also needs to increase the number of deportations of people who arrive or stay in the country without authorization. "It can not be if someone gets past the border that no one will ever come get them," said Sessions.
Sessions argued that the United States in 1986 granted amnesty for 6 million immigrants in the country without permission, creating the current situation. "Enforcement never occurred and now we have 11 million people here illegally." He said: "This cannot happen again."
Specifically, Sessions spent much of his speech this morning calling for deportations under existing law. Sessions told his colleagues that if local police in Alabama stop someone for speeding and discover they are in the country illegally "what happens is they turn them loose....because no one will come and get them."
Sessions repeatedly claimed that virtually no one is being deported aside from convicted criminals.
However, deportations are up under President Obama. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed nearly 400,000 individuals each year since 2009, up from just under 300,000 removals in 2007. The current administration has emphasized removal of dangerous individuals, and since 2010 about half of the deportations have involved convicted criminals.
Sessions' office this afternoon responded to say that the current deportation numbers do not present a fair picture, that the statistics increasingly include numbers of people sent back at the border as opposed to interior apprehensions and deportations.
A spokesman for Sessions pointed to a comment from President Obama. "The statistics are actually a little deceptive because what we've been doing is with the stronger border enforcement we've been apprehending folks at the borders and sending them back," said Obama on Sept. 28, 2011. "That is counted as a deportation, even though they may have only been held for a day or 48 hours, sent back -- that's counted as a deportation.
Sessions on the Senate floor complained that no one will come pick up someone detained for speeding and found to be in violation of immigration laws. He said if the nation grants amnesty to 11 million people here now, then all future violators need to be removed.
"The people objecting to this legislation are not against immigration," he argued. "What we are trying to say is you need a good future flow for immigration and you need to be sure it's enforceable."
To that end, he also called for biometric tracking system at the border. And he called on lawmakers "to put some teeth" in the bill to beef up policing and border patrol. "If you get caught, you are going to be deported," said Sessions. "That's what a system of integrity requires."
Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, spoke in support of the bipartisan bill this morning, shortly before Sessions took the floor. "Does anybody think the solution to the problem is deport 11 million people?" asked Nelson. "You couldn't do that."
And if it were possible, said Nelson, mass deportations would lead to economic collapse. Nelson instead argued those here illegally could be required to pay fines, pay taxes, learn English and hold down jobs. "Don't stay employed, you're out," said Nelson.
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., spoke after Sessions, saying a pathway citizenship will boost the national economy, create jobs and increase wages. "That's what happens when workers come out of the shadows," said Boxer, saying California eagerly awaits passage of the proposed immigration reform.
The Senate adjourned after Boxer spoke.
The Gang of Eight members in the Senate include four Democrats and four Republicans, Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, Michael Bennett, D-Col., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Bob Menendez, D-N.J., Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., John McCain. R-Ariz., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
Updated at 1:55 p.m. with comment from Sessions' office.
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