Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions signaled support for President Trump’s decision to halt all immigration to the United States during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have 30 million unemployed. … We don’t have jobs in the United States,” Sessions told Breitbart News Daily. “There are no jobs now. We’ll lay off more people this week than we did last week.”
The Republican from Alabama asked: “Why would we bring in foreign workers to take jobs when we don’t have jobs for the American people?”
Sessions continued: “What theory is it that they’re operating under when they try to justify such a policy position? It’s certainly not in the interest of the American people. It’s in the interest of their corporate friends and some ideology that they adhere to … so I do think that it’s time for this Congress to deliver on its promises that the president made in the campaign.”
The coronavirus pandemic has led to a record number of people in the U.S. making jobless claims after shutdown orders in states across the country have forced businesses large and small to lay off employees.
Many states have begun the process of at least partially reopening their economies, but are doing so with strict social distancing guidelines and other safety measures in place.
Trump announced last month he was halting immigration to help slow the spread of the virus in the U.S. and to protect jobs. Critics say the move won’t achieve either of those goals.
Sessions, who is now running for Senate in Alabama, has sought Trump’s endorsement, which the president has not given. Trump has criticized Sessions repeatedly for rescuing himself from overseeing special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in 2015.
Sessions claims he is running for Senate to help Republicans fight for issues that will benefit U.S. citizens more than illegal immigrants.
“Where are the rest of the Republicans? Where are they? I mean, this is a big issue,” Sessions said. “This party owes it to the American people to defend our interests — American interests. And I don’t think there’s been near enough action.”
