June 23, 2016, 06:24 pm
By Jordain Carney
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) praised a Supreme Court ruling undercutting President Obama's immigration programs, but warned that a President Hillary Clinton would be "even more radical."
"Despite [Obama] having the most radical immigration policies in our nation's history, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton has promised to go even further," said Sessions, who has earned vice presidential speculation as Donald Trump's biggest ally in the Senate.
His comments come after the Supreme Court dealt a blow to two key Obama immigration programs.
The Supreme Court uphold a lower court ruling that blocks a program that allows undocumented immigrants who are parents of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents to remain in the United States for three years and apply for work permits.
It also blocks the president from extending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program issued by Obama in 2012.
Sessions added Thursday Obama's program were a "tremendous overreach" and are "lawless actions" that Clinton would have "apparently even more radical policies."
The Alabama Republican said Clinton would only deport undocumented immigrations who have committed "violent felonies or happen to be terrorists."
"It's not traditional in any way. It's directly contrary to our constitutional principles and the clear will of the American people. It must be stopped," he added.
Clinton, on her campaign website, backs "comprehensive immigration reform" including a pathway to citizenship, as well as closing private immigration detention facilities.
Sessions' comments come after he knocked Clinton's immigration policies earlier this month, saying they would "increase the risk of terrorism and criminal behavior."
Sessions isn't the only GOP senator to lash out at Clinton over immigration. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who has also been speculated as a potential Trump VP pick, accused Clinton of shifting her positions to win over voters.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/284719-sessions-warns-of-radical-clinton-immigration-policy