U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions plans to co-sponsoring a bill that would bar the Justice Department from suing states who pass immigration laws.

The Justice Department has sued Alabama, Arizona and most recently South Carolina over their immigration laws, arguing the federal government is exclusively responsible for immigration policy and law enforcement.

Sessions, R-Mobile, is sponsoring the bill along U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-Louisiana and South Carolina U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint.

Sessions said the federal government needs to stop restricting state government immigration efforts.