(Video above: Sen. Jeff Sessions’ RNC speech)
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) delivered an eight-minute speech at the Republican National Convention Monday night, taking his turn in the spotlight as the intellectual force behind Trump’s immigration and trade policies.
Sessions, the chairman of Trump’s national security advisory committee, said a Hillary Clinton presidency would be little more than a continuation — or acceleration — of the current administration’s “job-killing” policies.
The full speech can be read below, or viewed in the video above.
Speaking from this podium today is a long way from the rafter seats my wife and I had as college students in Miami in 1972, I’ve got to tell you.
This year, our voters spoke clearly on two critical issues in our primaries: trade and immigration. They affirmed Donald Trump and his positions. They opposed ObamaTrade, and they demanded a lawful system of immigration that protects their safety and their financial wellbeing.
Average Americans have been the first to know that something is wrong with this economy. Our middle class is steadily declining, with our African-American and hispanic communities being hurt the most. But the Washington establishment, the media and big corporations have been in denial.
Fellow Republicans, we must understand that the incomes of middle class Americans today are $4,000 less per year than in 1999. This is an economic disaster. We’re on the wrong track and the American people know it.
Yet, Hillary Clinton’s plan is more of the same — more government, more taxes, more regulations, more illegal immigration and more debt.
She has been the champion of globalist trade agreements, but the facts are in, they have not worked for the American people. When those agreements were signed, Presidents Clinton and Obama promised our dangerous trade deficits with China and Korea would be reduced. But the deficit with China has increased five-fold. And the deficit with Korea has more than doubled in just four years. These are job-killing numbers. Worst of all, they are now pushing the disastrous, 5,000-page ObamaTrade — the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. This must not happen.
This election has also been about immigration.
For thirty years, our good and decent people have rightly pleaded with their leaders for an end to the lawlessness and for sound immigration policies that are fair and advance the national interests. To this legitimate plea, our elites have responded with disdain, dismissal and scorn. But is there anyone in America that does not understand that when we bring in more workers than we have jobs for, that job prospects and wages fall? Top economists and the Congressional Budget Office have told us just that.
Is it too much to ask to just slow down and protect our national security and jobs?
We lawfully admit, friends, 1.1 million permanent residents annually to this country — more than any other country in the world. And they are, for the most part, wonderful additions to our country. On top of that, we have 700,000 guest workers here that take jobs, and the majority of these are not seasonal or agriculture workers. There are about 350,000 people who succeed in crossing our borders illegally each year, and almost 500,000 more unlawfully stay their visas. These are extreme numbers. But the only solution from Obama and Hillary Clinton is to capitulate to the lawlessness and give amnesty and citizenship to all. It will not work.
Understand this, from 2000 to 2014, while our existing population increased by millions, the number of jobs held by Americans actually declined. Amazingly, all of the net job growth during that period went to immigrants. Combine that with the reality of efficient businesses, increased automation, and slow growth, the fact is, we just don’t have enough jobs being created now for the people who are here.
Does this help to explain why our wages have fallen and why we have the lowest percentage of Americans actually holding a job in 40 years? Our duty as elected officials is to get our people jobs first. It cannot be our policy to take jobs from abroad while government support payments are used for those unemployed Americans.
Bad trade deals and excess immigration floods the labor market, reducing job prospects and wages. Improper vetting places our nation at risk of terrorism. Remember, the President has the clear power — the clear power — to suspend immigration to protect America. So Americans want help now.
This election will make it happen. That is why we need Donald Trump. Donald Trump is the leader who will bring change. He has the strength, the courage and the will to get it done. He is attracting more and more independents and Democrats to our movement. Donald Trump will kill ObamaTrade. Donald Trump will build the wall. And Donald Trump will make America great again.
Thank you, God bless.
