NEW YORK - President-Elect Donald Trump's pick for U.S. Attorney General signals that enforcing federal immigration laws will be a top priority for the next administration, a conservative immigration group said Friday.
“As America’s top attorney, Senator [Jeff] Sessions would put an end to the flagrant violation of federal immigration law by the more than 300 sanctuary cities and jurisdictions across the nation," said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).
"For too long now, sanctuary cities have been all but ignored by the federal government, despite the undisputed fact that they serve as a beacon to illegal immigration. Their continued presence is a clear threat to national security, public safety, and the rule of law.
Earlier this week, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel declared his defiance to the administration if it attempts to undermine his city's commitment to illegal immigrants. Twenty other mayors nationwide agreed with Emanuel's proclamation to defy federal laws concerning deportation.
The Alabama senator has decades of experience in the Senate, was instrumental in defeating mass amnesty bills, and is the leading voice for immigration policies that serve the national interest, Stein said.
“Having served as the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest, Senator Sessions’ expertise in the area of immigration is unmatched. It’s hard to imagine a better pick for the Attorney General position than Senator Jeff Sessions."
Trump announced picking Sessions on Friday, and Sessions indicated he would accept the position.
