Jeff Sessions Nominated to Serve as Attorney General

Washington D.C. - News broke this morning that Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions will be nominated to serve as Attorney General in President-Elect Trump’s new administration. The following is a statement from Beth Werlin, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council.

“Hope that President-Elect Trump would moderate his extreme views on immigration took a major hit with the announcement that he is nominating Senator Jeff Sessions to serve as Attorney General of the United States. Senator Sessions is the leading anti-immigration voice in the U.S. Senate. For years, Senator Sessions has urged severe restrictions on visas, called for drastically expanded immigration enforcement, and blocked all practical reforms to our outdated immigration system.

“As the country’s top lawyer and highest-ranking law enforcement official tasked with administering justice, the Attorney General has substantial authority over our nation’s laws, including our immigration laws. In fact, the Immigration and Nationality Act (the governing law over immigration) grants the Attorney General broad powers to modify, adjust, and decide how much of the law is implemented. He also oversees the immigration court system, which is charged with ensuring a fair day in court for those who face deportation from the United States. Therefore, the Attorney General position requires a person who can serve as a fair and balanced decision maker on a range of issues. How can we trust someone in that role who has demonstrated he thinks all forms of immigration are bad for America?

“We strongly urge the Senate to engage in a robust confirmation process, one which I believe will reveal Senator Sessions’ history of anti-immigrant attitudes, votes, and advocacy. This nomination is concerning to everyone who cares about the protection of civil and immigrant rights in America.”

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