Update: Trump signed an executive order Wednesday afternoon to stop the separation of parents and children when they are detained for illegal entrance into the country.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is facing increased pressure amid public outcry to change a border practice that separates children from their parents when illegally entering the United States.

However, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said Wednesday morning that leadership shouldn’t decide how to enforce immigration laws based on shifting public opinion or media coverage.

“It is misguided to blame President Trump or Attorney General Sessions for enforcing the law,” Marshall said in a statement to Yellowhammer News.

“We are a nation built upon the rule of law, and we cannot — and should not — ask the Executive Branch to enforce the law according to the whims of public opinion or the media on any given day.”

Marshall added that only Congress can enact or amend federal immigration law – something he said went undone before Trump became president and Sessions became attorney general.

“Democrats had control of the White House and Congress and took no action,” Marshall said. “Under President Trump’s leadership, I believe Republicans have a real chance to secure our borders and clean up our immigration laws.”

Yellowhammer News reached out to Marshall’s opponent in the GOP primary run-off, former Attorney General Troy King, for his perspective and did not receive a comment at the time of publication.

Rachel Blackmon Bryars is managing editor of Yellowhammer News