FALLS CHURCH, Va. ― Attorney General Jeff Sessions broadly accused immigrants of lying to attain asylum Thursday, claiming that “dirty immigration lawyers,” along with “rampant abuse and fraud,” allow too many people to avoid deportation. 

His aim: convincing members of Congress and the public that the law needs to be changed so that undocumented immigrants who say they’re seeking safety in the U.S. can be swiftly deported.

“The system is being gamed,” Sessions said in a speech at the Executive Office for Immigration Review, which is part of the Department of Justice. “There’s no doubt about it. The credible fear process was intended to be a lifeline for persons facing serious persecution. But it has become an easy ticket to illegal entry into the United States.”

Sessions’ speech was part of a pitch for President Donald Trump’s immigration policy priorities, released on Sunday. The president said he wants significant policy concessions from Congress, including changes to the asylum system, in exchange for approving protections for so-called “Dreamers,” young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.

Read the full piece here.