At a press conference in Boston this morning, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions defended his top deputy after a handful of congressional Republicans moved to impeach him. Sessions said he has the "highest confidence" in Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and described him as "highly capable."
A group of 11 House conservatives on Wednesday introduced articles of impeachment against Rosenstein, who oversees special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation because Sessions has recused himself.
Sessions suggested lawmakers should instead focus on reforming the nation's immigration system.
He also announced the arrests of 25 defendants charged with document and benefit fraud.
One of those arrested by Homeland Security’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force is Jose Lopez Rosado, a U.S. citizen who was serving a 40-year sentence in Puerto Rico before escaping in 1994 to Massachusetts, where he lived under a stolen identity. Others, according to U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling — standing next to Sessions — included 21 undocumented immigrants accused of forging documents to obtain Medicaid and social security benefits.
When asked why he was here for this particular press conference, Sessions said that the individuals arrested exemplified the dangers of illegal immigration and further condemned communities that offer sanctuary to individuals in the country illegally.
Sessions also expressed regret for having laughed at a "Lock Her Up" chant and repeated the words during a speech Tuesday at a high school leadership summit in D.C.
"I perhaps should have taken a moment to advise them on the fact that you're presumed innocent until cases are made," he said when asked to comment on the chant, which is a staple of President Donald Trump's campaign rallies.
The chant refers to the FBI investigation of Democrat Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server during her tenure as Secretary of State under former President Barack Obama.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
