The Justice Department released
Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s remarks on combating the violent, transnational drug gang MS-13 and the department's efforts to carry out the administration's immigration priorities:
Thank you, Steve for that
kind introduction and for nearly a quarter century of service to the Department
of Justice. You’ve had some big shoes to
fill, following Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, but you’re doing the
difficult work to keep your hometown safe.
Thank you also to Secretary
Nielsen. I also want to congratulate you
on your confirmation by the Senate last week in a strong, bipartisan vote.
I think that’s a sign of the
confidence that you have inspired in your leadership at the Department and at
the White House.
I appreciated our briefing
earlier today, and I’m looking forward to working with you to protect the
American people and implement the President’s ambitious agenda.
I want to recognize our FBI,
DEA, and ATF Special Agents in Charge who are here.
You all do terrific work to
protect the American people and I’m proud to stand with you.
But we know too well, violent
crime is up in many places across the country.
Last week, the Department released its annual National Crime Victimization
Survey. It shows that the rate of
Americans victimized by violent crime is up more than 13 percent.
Over the last two years, this
city in particular has experienced violence like we haven’t seen in nearly a
quarter of a century. The violent crime
rate is up nearly one-third. Rape is up
by 22 percent. Murder is up by
half. Baltimore has a higher murder rate
and a higher violent crime rate than Chicago with less than a quarter of the
population, if you can believe it.
The day I was sworn in as
Attorney General, President Trump ordered me to reduce crime in America and to
take on transnational criminal organizations, cartels, and gangs.
We embrace that agenda, and
we are carrying it out aggressively.
This year alone, the
Department has secured convictions against more than 1,000 gang members and
targeted MS-13.
With more than 10,000 members
across 40 U.S. states, MS-13 is one of the most dangerous gangs in
America. And make no mistake: this is a
transnational organization based in El Salvador, and it is the most violent in
our country.
The people of this community
have seen it firsthand.
In January, a 15-year old
girl from near here in Gaithersburg was stabbed 13 times with knives and a
wooden stake by MS-13 members. Her
killers filmed the murder so they could show their leaders back in El Salvador.
First, our goal with the
Department of Homeland Security is to end the illegality rampant in our
immigration system.
As Attorney General, I have
ordered our prosecutors to renew their focus on immigration
offenses—specifically where those criminals have a gang nexus, cartel, or
violent crime offense.
We have sent additional
prosecutorial resources to the Southwest Border and created Border Security
Coordinators in each of our U.S. Attorney’s Offices—to enforce immigration laws
with a special emphasis on criminals, like MS-13, that have a nexus to the
Southern Border.
I have designated MS-13 as a
priority for our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. These task forces bring together a broad
coalition of federal law enforcement—from DEA, FBI, and ATF to ICE, the Coast
Guard, Secret Service, and the IRS. I
want to thank Secretary Nielsen and Department of Homeland Security personnel
for making an incredible contribution to these task forces.
These are important steps,
and we’ve already delivered results for the American people. Together with our partners in Central
America, we have filed criminal charges against more than 4,000 MS-13 members
and seized many of their firearms, vehicles, and other assets.
But we must also recognize
that transnational gangs like MS-13 have taken advantage of our porous Southern
Border and previously lax immigration law enforcement.
If we accept lawlessness,
then we encourage lawlessness.
When people break our laws
without consequences, we shouldn’t be surprised when they continue breaking our
laws.
In recent years, our
immigration system has been overwhelmed.
The caseload has tripled since fiscal 2009 and doubled since fiscal
2012.
As the backlog of immigration
cases grew out of control, the previous administration simply closed nearly
200,000 pending immigration court cases without a final decision in just five
years—more than were closed in the previous 22 years combined.
But under President Trump, we
have already taken steps to bring down the backlog in cases.
We are completing, not
closing, immigration cases. Under
President Trump, our immigration judges completed 20,000 more cases this last
fiscal year than in the previous one.
We have hired 50 immigration
judges since January, and we plan to hire another 60 over the next six months.
Last week, I issued a memo to
our Executive Office for Immigration Review. Which makes clear that cases are
to be resolved either with a removal order or a grant of relief. Appeals that are frivolous ought to be
resolved quickly, and fraud ought to be documented and prosecuted.
And finally, we will
implement objective performance measures to ensure that our judges are working
efficiently and fairly.
The American people—as well
as those who would come here and disrespect our laws—can be certain about this:
we are enforcing our laws again.
Since President Trump took
office, border crossings are now at their lowest level in 45 years. That is a
big achievement. But that number can be
zero. We can do it.
But it is also up to Congress
to improve our laws. We cannot wait any longer. As yesterday’s events showed us
in the starkest terms: the failures of our immigration system are a national
security issue.
Since 9/11, we have
prosecuted more than 500 people for terrorism-related offenses, and preliminary
figures suggest that nearly 75 percent of those defendants were foreign born.
The President is exactly
right to call attention to these issues and to how they affect our security. In
just the last two months, we’ve seen two terrorist attacks in New York City
carried out by men who were here as a result of failed immigration policies—the
diversity lottery and chain migration.
Between 2005 and 2016, we
admitted 9.3 million people under this chain migration policy. And each of
those people may be able to sponsor their relatives as well. It’s not
sustainable.
The President has also
proposed ending chain migration and switching to a merit-based system like they
have in Canada and Australia. That means
welcoming the best and the brightest and turning away not only terrorists, but
gang members and criminals.
We should give priority to
those who are likely to thrive here—such as those who speak English or are
highly skilled—not someone chosen at random or who happens to be somebody’s
relative.
In short, it means looking at
factors that indicate the applicant’s likelihood of assimilation and success in
the United States.
Let me be clear: ending
illegal immigration is not hopeless.
Having a legal immigration that serves the national interest is not
hopeless. We can do it. The Department
of Justice and Department of Homeland Security are partners in this effort.
If we follow the policies
laid out by President Trump, I believe that we will finally have the
immigration system the American people have asked for—and the system we
deserve.
Thank you.
You can also read my
Counterterrorism magazine piece on the Justice Department’s campaign against
MS-13 via the below link:
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