Senator Jeff Sessions (R., Ala.), ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee and a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement today:
“The arguments compiled by FWD.us pushing for a massive surge in new workers from abroad have ignored the overwhelming literature, including broad research by the Congressional Budget Office, demonstrating that such a plan would reduce wages and job prospects for millions of struggling workers living here today.
The White House and Senate Democrats have embraced a plan that not only allows illegal immigration to continue indefinitely, but proposes to double the flow of new legal immigrant workers and triple the number of mostly lesser-skilled immigrants who will be given green cards. Unfortunately, it seems several House leaders are contemplating a similar approach. We need to move Americans off of welfare and into good-paying jobs—not replace them with lower-wage workers from abroad. Gene Sperling has said there are three jobseekers for every one job opening. Has anyone asked the American people whether they want these large increases to current record immigration levels now being proposed?
Lawmakers must decide who they represent: immigration activists and powerful interests, or millions of struggling and unemployed Americans. Republicans have an opportunity to stand alone as the one party dutifully representing the legitimate interests of the American worker. They should seize it. They should boldly and unapologetically articulate policies that end the lawlessness and advance the national interest.”
[See more research data here]