Attorney General Jeff Sessions argued the U.S. wouldn’t face the “terrible choice” of separating children from their families if there was a border wall. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Less than a week after quoting the Bible to justify separating immigrant children from their parents, Attorney General Jeff Sessions insists the U.S. doesn’t want to break up families.
Sessions addressed the National Sheriff’s Association’s Annual Conference in New Orleans, La. on Monday, where he blamed the lack of a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border for President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy, which snatches migrant children from their parents as punishment for crossing the border illegally.
Trump and those close to his administration have doubled-down on the directive, despite some push back from fellow GOP figures.
“The day I was sworn in as Attorney General, President Trump sent me a clear order,” the attorney general said Monday, according to prepared remarks published by the DOJ. “And, let me tell you, Donald Trump knows how to give a clear order. He told me to reduce crime in America. Not to preside over ever-increasing crime. Take action and bring down crime.”
Sessions alleged there was once a “loophole” in the law allowing immigrant parents who crossed the border with their children to “effectively be given immunity from prosecution” — which has been proven false.
“We do not want to separate children from their parent,” Sessions continued. “We do not want adults to bring children into this country unlawfully, placing them at risk. But we do have a policy of prosecuting adults who flout our laws to come here illegally instead of waiting their turn or claiming asylum at any port of entry.”
“We cannot and will not encourage people to bring children by giving them blanket immunity from our laws,” he said.
On Monday, Trump let his Twitter fingers fly amid mounting outrage over his controversial policy, which he has falsely blamed the Democrats for. The president pointed the finger at the Dems’ “weak and ineffective” border security laws — even though it’s his discretionary policies that are responsible for the separation of hundreds of migrant families.
Still, Trump argued children are being used “by some of the worst criminals on earth” to enter the U.S illegally.
Children are being used by some of the worst criminals on earth as a means to enter our country. Has anyone been looking at the Crime taking place south of the border. It is historic, with some countries the most dangerous places in the world. Not going to happen in the U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2018
CHANGE THE LAWS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2018
It is the Democrats fault for being weak and ineffective with Boarder Security and Crime. Tell them to start thinking about the people devastated by Crime coming from illegal immigration. Change the laws!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2018
AG Sessions echoed these claims Monday, arguing that if Congress “passed legislation to end the lawlessness,” then children wouldn’t have to be separated from their parents.
“If we build the wall … we won’t face these terrible choices.”
