Jeff Sessions' appointment to lead Senate panel shows GOP ready to rumble on immigration

Al ^ | updated January 21, 2015 at 4:55 PM | Leada Gore

[Red Steel]

When Sen. Jeff Sessions stepped aside to make way for Wyoming's Mike Enzi to lead the Budget Committee, many wondered if there were bigger plans ahead for Alabama's junior senator.

It appears there is

Sen. Sessions is set to take over the Senate panel that oversees immigration, reports indicate. The move was first reported in Politico and while the senator's office can't confirm the move ahead of the official announcement, the change is a perfect fit for Sessions who has emerged as the leading opponent of the White House's immigration plans.

Sessions is set to take over chairmanship of the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security. Vice-chair will be Sen. David Vitter, R-La. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, was the top Republican member of the committee under the Democrats but he's moving to take over the Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights. That clears the way for Sessions' to sit in the chairman's seat.

So what does this move mean?

It means the GOP is sending a strong message to the White House. It shows Republicans aren't playing when it comes to immigration and President Obama's plan to allow as many as 5 million people currently in the country illegally to remain. Republicans have vowed to fight that plan and, by moving Sessions to the key immigration role, have thrown down the gauntlet that its standing firm.

Consider this statement, issued by Sessions after last night's State of the Union:

"On immigration, the President remains wedded to a lawless policy that serves only the interest of an international elite while reducing jobs and benefits for everyday Americans. All net employment gains since the recession in 2007 have gone to foreign workers, and yet the President has violated federal law in order to provide work permits to 5 million illegal immigrants--allowing them to take any of the few good jobs that exist. In effect, the President delivered an address tonight to a Congress whose authority he does not recognize and to a public whose votes he has nullified with an imperial edict. Congress must use every tool at its disposal to stop this unlawful edict, end the immigration lawlessness, and reverse our slide towards congressional irrelevance."

Sounds like fighting words to me.

[itsahoot]

The bill would require operational control of high-traffic areas of the border within two years, and operational control of the full border within five years.
The bill defines operational control as stopping or turning back all attempted border crossers, which Democrats said was unrealistic.
Some past immigration and border bills, including one advanced in the last Congress by McCaul’s committee, have sought to block 90 percent of would-be crossers.

Didn't that bill pass under GW?</s>

Somehow tomorrow never comes, it is like cancer cures and spending cuts, always 10 years down the road.

[deport]

A bill did pass under President Bush back in 06 and that maybe standard wording.
They did build some fence and barriers but in 2011 or something like that they
congress pulled the funding.

I’ve been trying to find the miles of border that has been fenced, etc but I’ve had
no luck with actual miles. There has been some double fence built, some single fence
and I don’t know what else.

[icwhatudo]

This reminds me of that African News service that kept promising the birth cirtificate thing in 24hrs and people kept falling for it.

[benldguy]

Congress did not pull the funds. Big Sis sequestered nearly $600 Million intended for the fence for “other” purposes.

[Hardens Hollow]

“In effect, the President delivered an address tonight to a Congress whose authority he does not recognize and to a public whose votes he has nullified with an imperial edict. Congress must use every tool at its disposal to stop this unlawful edict, end the immigration lawlessness, and reverse our slide towards congressional irrelevance.”

Sessions is amazing. I’m surprised the typically liberal Senate republicans would give him this position. The last time republican house and senate battled on immigration, it was the house that blocked an amnesty the senate pushed. I’d be surprised to see the reverse occur.

[zeestephen]

Absolutely agree.

In January 2014, McConnell and Boehner not only revoked the Budget Sequester, they funded 2 years of ObamaCare, including 2 years of guaranteed bail outs for any insurance company that lost money writing O-Care policies!

Then, they went home and campaigned to REPEAL O-Care!

I voted Republican for 42 years.

I'm done with these liars.

I voted in 2014, but just on ballot initiatives and a couple judges.

Every race with a Republican I left blank - not that it matters since my Congressional District is 75% Socialist.