Jeff Sessions Quotes

Ending illegal immigration only strengthens legal immigration.

Every time anybody in Washington talks about legal status, amnesty, anything of that nature, it becomes a magnet that lures people in quickly into the United States.

What I think you are going to see is with DACA being gone, it gets rid of the magnet of drawing people over here, thinking they are going to come in and get amnesty.

Since the '86 amnesty, the number of illegal immigrants has quadrupled. That should teach Congress a very important lesson: Amnesty 'bends' the rule of law. And bending the rule of law to reach a 'comprehensive' deal winds up provoking wholesale breaking of the law.

I just always believe that we should not reward people with citizenship whose first act in this country was a violation of the law. And I continue to hold that view. But let me say, I think there is plenty of room here for compassion. And there's plenty of room here for crafting a solution that will deal with this issue in the long term.

Illegal aliens have broken our laws, and they shouldn't be rewarded with amnesty and immediate legalization.

One simple rule: no amnesty, no special pathway to citizenship.

We feel a pathway to citizenship would reward illegal activity, ... Amnesty encourages further illegal immigration.

End illegal immigration.

No one believed [the 1986 amnesty for illegal aliens] was tough enough on illegal immigration, and it didn't give enough flexibility on future legal immigration.

...you're never going to have a legal immigration system that works if you grant amnesty.

Those who have come to the United States illegally should not be given amnesty or an easier path to citizenship over those already in line.

You cannot grant amnesty. If the American people see us granting amnesty they will never again believe in legal immigration. They will never again support it, and that's wrong for our country, bad for our future.

There is international criminal organizations penetrating our southern based borders, and we need to do something about it. Secure the border, enforce the law, no amnesty, and go forward with the legal immigration system that gives priority to American working families and wages.

Our immigration system is not broken. We don't need, and Congress shouldn't enact, amnesty.

Amnesty is not the answer as it will only encourage more illegal immigrants to enter.

While I support immigration regulated through a legal framework, I do not support rewarding those who broke the law to get here.

Immigration reform is a must, an amnesty. So that's my position. I've been pushing that one since before it was popular.

My record of opposition to illegal immigration is unquestioned.

And the bottom line is, is that they are illegal aliens entering our country. And we simply cannot sustain that kind of activity. Bottom line is it's a backdoor to amnesty and I don't believe the American people support that.

I support legal immigration. I don't support amnesty because it is not fair to people standing in line at consulates around the world.

Illegal immigration undermines legal immigration.

We need employer sanctions to avoid illegal immigration so that legal immigration may dominate.

The simple answer to the illegal alien problem is to secure our boarders and enforce the law.

We're not going to deport 12 million people, so let's stop this fiction. Let's give them permanent status.