Originally Posted by crossfireoops
Sweet Home Alabama,

Jeff Sessions,....a good man

Link: http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20080827/NEWS/808260268/1016/NEWS%26title=Sessions_speaks_to_crowd_at_Albertville_immigration_forum

Sessions speaks to crowd at Albertville immigration forum

By KERRY YENCER
Times Correspondent


Published: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at 9:06 p.m.
ALBERTVILLE � An immigration forum inside the City Hall chambers here Tuesday drew an overflow crowd to hear two-term U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions.



Sessions, R-Ala., a leading advocate for improving border security and restoring lawfulness to the immigration system, shared his thoughts on steps the United States should take to secure its borders, reduce illegal immigration and create an immigration system that serves the long-term national interest.

Most of the 125 to 150 in attendance were white senior citizens, including some who vented their frustrations at the growing immigration problem in Marshall County.

Sessions addressed the �frustration because of us in Washington. We haven�t made the system work,� he said.

He pointed to a piece of legislation that wouldn�t work because it was �written by special interest,� a compromise put together with political interests at the forefront.

Passage would reduce illegal immigration by 15 percent, Sessions said.

�We (the federal government) haven�t given clear enough authority to (local) law enforcement,� Sessions said, referring to arrests of illegal immigrants by local officers, who then turn them over to federal authorities.

According to Sessions, 1.1 million arrests of illegal immigrants were reported in 2006.

Legislation that has been enacted, Sessions said, has resulted in a 20 percent drop in arrests in the last calendar year.

�People (illegal immigrants) are beginning to get the message,� he said.

He also cited figures from the Center for Immigration Studies that show the number of illegal immigrants living in the country has dropped 11 percent.

Sessions was asked if there was any thought to establishing an immigration office in Albertville.

�It�s something to think about,� he said. �I�ve been a proponent of training local officers, but ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is nervous about that.�

Sessions said there are 12,000 ICE officers and 600,000 local law enforcement personnel.

Albertville Police Chief Benny Womack, called on to address the local issue, said, �It�s frustrating. We are spinning our wheels.�

He said federal authorities discourage local law enforcement from the process. Marshall County Sheriff Scott Walls told Sessions he met with immigration officials.

�They started by saying they were going to talk us out of this,� Walls said, adding that funding also has been cut.

�We�re willing to do the job,� Walls said, �but we need the tools.�





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I am familiar with this area, it's got an increased illegal population, due to many factors such as chicken houses and other low paying jobs. This county has a growing Meth. issue, not due to the Mexicans, but due to "Bubba tweeker". This besides it's not a weathy county by any means, there's some money, but it's old money.