Pete Sessions: “I appreciate Senator Schumer's legislation, and I also would support it. It is clearly a step in the right direction…”

“I appreciate Senator Schumer's legislation, and I also would support it. It is clearly a step in the right direction, and it is one of the things we need to do. I guess as we leave this Congress to go home and get ready to campaign, many of my colleagues may be able to say they did something that was helpful in eliminating illegal immigration--something other than suing the State of Arizona, where the Department of Justice is trying to block Arizona from participating effectively in reducing the amount of illegal immigration. On June 11, the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council, acting on behalf of approximately 7,000 ICE officers and employees-- Immigration and Custom Enforcement--cast a unanimous vote of ``no confidence'' in Mr. John Morton, the Director, saying that he is more interested in politics than in enforcing our immigration laws. So I am concerned about that. Also, Senator McCain was correct to say that we voted for 700 miles of double-layer fencing, and even appropriated money for its construction. Only 400 miles have been completed and of that, only about 40 miles are double layer. I am not aware that any other construction is ongoing. Why aren't we completing that? It multiplies dramatically the capability of an agent to be effective on a long border if there are barriers there. So I am not happy about our not completing that. It is very much a failure.”