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Tonight Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued the following statement:
“The American people demand a lawful system of immigration. Congress has established a lawful system of immigration. At the heart of this immigration debate is disagreement over whether illegally entering this country is a crime. Our duly enacted laws answer that question.
“Nevertheless, actions that have always been understood to be squarely within the powers of the President, regardless of the Administration, have now been enjoined. The Department of Justice cannot accept such a result, and as the President has made clear, we will continue to litigate this case to vindicate the rule of law.
“Make no mistake – our national interest also requires criminal aliens to be deported. The Bureau of Justice Statistics just released a report showing that 42 percent of defendants charged in U.S. district court were non-U.S. citizens. And according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, in 2013, 48 percent of all deported aliens who were convicted for coming back to the United States illegally were also convicted of a non-immigration related crime.
“This is the Trump era. Progress is being made daily, and it will continue. This will be the Administration that fully enforces our nation’s immigration laws.”