Thread: Sessions has immigration questions for candidates

Senator to distribute answers Wednesday, January 23 2008

MARY ORNDORFF News Washington correspondent

WASHINGTON - Sen. Jeff Sessions, already a high-profile critic of illegal immigration, is challenging the presidential candidates to answer a series of questions that he says will clarify for voters their positions on immigration and become a written record of their commitments should they be elected.

In a Capitol Hill speech planned for Thursday, the Alabama Republican will assert himself as the arbiter of tough immigration policy by encouraging the candidates, Democrat and Republican, to address 12 to 15 policy specifics with "yes" or "no" answers.

Examples include whether they would finish construction of a 700-mile fence on the country's southern border, keep the National Guard on the border to supplement security, and expand the number of border districts that automatically prosecute illegal crossers.


"These are things that we think a reasonable, lawful, decent president would do to end the illegalities," Sessions said in an interview Tuesday afternoon in his Senate office. "These are not extreme things. These are natural steps if the leader of our country desires to end illegal immigration and create a lawful system."

The questionnaires will be sent to the campaigns tonight and Sessions will discuss them publicly in a speech to the conservative Heritage Foundation on Thursday morning. He will ask the candidates to provide answers so he could distribute them before the Feb. 5 primaries in 24 states, including Alabama.

Hasn't endorsed anyone:

Sessions, who is up for re-election this year, said he has not given any of the presidential campaigns a preview of his questionnaire. Although he has not endorsed anyone in the competitive Republican primary, Sessions did not rule it out.

"It has become very clear to me that a critical component in a lawful system of immigration is the chief law enforcement officer in America and that person is the president," Sessions said. "It's an executive branch function."

The questions will cover issues related to employer responsibilities, the role of state and local law enforcement, closing the border and allowing more immigrants to enter legally based on education level and job skills. Not included are questions about the 12 million illegal immigrations already in the country, which is where many of the candidates have the most stark policy differences. Sessions helped kill legislation that would have allowed some of them to earn their way to legal status.

"I don't think that is something that has to be answered at this moment," Sessions said. "If we make it impossible for them to get a job if they're not legal and reduce the flow into the country, people will begin to go back, and we'll begin to see a reduction in that number."

May not respond:

Candidates are normally swamped with questionnaires from various special interest groups, and it's possible the candidates will not respond, Sessions said. He compared it to a "no new taxes" pledge that candidates sometimes make.

"If they can all sign it and mean it, that would be good for America," Sessions said. "If they don't sign it, they are far more free to bob and weave after they get in office."

The exact wording of the questionnaire was not complete on Tuesday and unavailable for review.

E-mail: morndorff@bhamnews.com

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Good work Senator Sessions, good work.
Thank You.

...And in the process offers yet another quotable quote as in the below:

"These are things that we think a reasonable, lawful, decent president would do to end the illegalities," Sessions said in an interview Tuesday afternoon in his Senate office. "These are not extreme things. These are natural steps if the leader of our country desires to end illegal immigration and create a lawful system."

...kinda sounds like common sense to me.

Thank you for posting CaliNative as this is very interesting.

Have my own guess as to who will not answer the questions and that will tell us all we need to know.

Wish we had more senators like him.

Senator Sessions just rocks. Thank God for him and too bad we don't have more like him in Congress. I certainly hope he grills the dem candidates because obviously the "fair and biased" media won't hardly touch the subject with them.

I wish that Jeff would have run.

Can't wait to see what the answers will be...should be interesting.....

Say, CaliNative,
Could you please provide a source link to the above?
Thanks!

Based on the current crop of candidates, I would not be surprised if they all banded together and refused to answer such questions on the grounds that such questions are devisive, hurtful and mean spirited and will not promote the type of change we seek to bring to the American People.

Jeff Sessions is my hero.....THANK- YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sessions offers roadmap for immigration reform

January 24 2008

WASHINGTON – Sen. Jeff Sessions offered a challenge Thursday to those running for president – fix the immigration system.

Sessions, R-Ala, outlined a roadmap for candidates in a speech at the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation.

He wants voters to put his 15-question listto the candidates and, in turn, for the candidates to take his suggestions and immigration reform seriously.

Americans, he said, “want a lawful and fair system that serves the national interest.â€