Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday defended his tough stance on immigration by saying that the U.S. is the "most generous nation in the world," despite its efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.

Sessions said on Fox News that the country is currently looking at "the lowest month in 17 years of illegal immigration at our border," just a week after he announced new federal measures to crack down on illegal entries.

"Everybody in the country illegally is subject to being deported," Sessions said. "We plead with people, 'Don't come here illegally. Wait your turn. Make your application. Follow the rules.'"

He added that the United States "admit[s] 1.1 million a year to permanent legal residents. […] So we're the most generous nation in the world."

"But we have got to restore lawfulness to our system," he said.

Sessions is slated to visit the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday with Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, a week after he did so alone.

The former Republican Senator from Alabama said he believes the Trump administration's tough rhetoric will "continue to keep" illegal immigration down and "restore lawfulness."