Among the most important of these civil rights laws is the Civil Rights Act of 1957 , which created the Civil Rights division of the Department of Justice and made the attorney general the chief enforcer of the nation's civil rights laws. Indeed, over his 40 years in public life, Sessions' record represents an unbroken line of hostility towards civil rights. Both senators expressed deep concerns over Senator Sessions' ability to protect the rights and freedoms of all Americans. In summary, Senator Sessions' presentation at this week's confirmation hearing only deepened the concerns that many expressed in submissions to the Senate Judiciary Committee. As ranking member, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, pointed out, this includes over 400 civil rights organizations and countless women's, LGBT and immigrant groups.

Source: CNN January 13, 2017 18:49 UTC