Senator Jeff Sessions says that Donald Trump is reviewing a policy that would encourage “self-deportation” among illegal immigrants.
During an interview on CNN’s “New Day” on Wednesday, Sessions responded to a question from CNN Anchor Alisyn Camerota, who wanted to know if Trump would implement a “deportation force.”
“You basically would have a self-deport if you want legal status in the United States,” Sen. Sessions said. “You go to your home country and apply and then you come back in with legal status.”
“That is one way to preserve the rule of law, and what we’re doing now is lawless,” he added.
Sen. Sessions noted that many other lawmakers have proposed similar plans. He said that Trump would not “go out house to house and round people up,” but would instead encourage policies to increase legal immigration.
“We’re going to assure the American people that the criminals that are in this country will be deported. And then we’re going to figure out how to handle the people who had been here a long time, who are good people,” Sessions said. “That’s where he is. But you cannot ask the American people to provide any kind of amnesty, until you’ve assured them that the illegality is over.”
Sessions, who has been one of Congress’ foremost voices in the battle to secure the borders and discourage illegal immigration, said he believes that Trump has the “drive” to change America’s immigration system.
“We’re going to protect the interest of the American worker and the security of the American people,” he said.
A Rasmussen poll released in September confirmed that immigration continues to be a major issue in the election. Though other issues have risen to the forefront of national debate, more than half of likely voters still believe that border security should be a priority for presidential candidates to address.
