During the weekend, President and part-time parent Donald Trump blamed Democrats for a U.S. policy separating undocumented parents and children at the border. “Put pressure on the Democrats to end the horrible law that separates children from there [sic] parents once they cross the Border into the U.S.,” he tweeted on Saturday.
But there is no such law, and it wasn’t Democrats who instituted that policy, it was the Trump Administration. “If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you and that child will be separated from you,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions on May 7th. “If you don’t like that, then don’t smuggle children over our border.”
Separating parents and children isn’t cruel, explained White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.“The children will be taken care of — put into foster care or whatever.”
More:
“Trump is blaming Democrats for separating migrant families at the border. Here’s why this isn’t a surprise.” Seung Min Kim, Washington Post
“Hidden Horrors of ‘Zero Tolerance’ — Mass Trials and Children Taken From Their Parents,” Debbie Nathan, The Intercept
“Trump’s ‘zero tolerance’ at the border is causing child shelters to fill up fast,” Nick Miroff, Washington Post
“Trump administration preparing to hold immigrant children on military bases,” Nick Miroff and Paul Sonne, Washington Post
“Ivanka Trump photo with son sparks backlash over border separations,” Tom McCarthy, The Guardian
“How the Trump Administration Got Comfortable Separating Immigrant Kids from Their Parents,” Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker
“Blowback over border separations amps up tensions inside Trump administration,” Nancy Cook and Ted Hesson, Politico
“A moral crisis grips the US border. Yet the religious right is shamefully silent,” Marilynne Robinson, The Guardian
“U.S. Border Stations Are Now Overflowing With Migrant Children,”Ashley Hackett, Pacific Standard
Updates:
“UN says US must stop separating migrant children from parents,” AFP via The Guardian
“I work with children separated from caregivers at the border. What happens is unforgivable.” Katie Annand, Vox
“Federal judge advances ACLU lawsuit challenging separation of parents, children at border,” Brooke Seipel, The Hill
“Trump quadruples down on false claim that ‘Democrat rules’ are forcing his administration to separate immigrant families,” Summer Meza, The Week
“Honduran Man Killed Himself After Being Separated From Family at Border,” Benjamin Hart, New York Magazine
“‘They just took them?’ Frantic parents separated from their kids fill courts on the border,” Michael E. Miller, Washington Post
“Separating Children From Their Parents Is a New Low for Our Immigration System,” Michelle Chen, The Nation
“‘Children are being used as a tool’ in Trump’s effort to stop border crossings,” Liz Goodwin, Boston Globe
“‘Mothers could not stop crying’: Lawmaker blasts Trump policy after visiting detained immigrants,” Amy B. Wang, Washington Post
“Report: Trump administration looks to build tent villages for migrant children,” Stef W. Kight, Axios
“Hugh Hewitt to Jeff Sessions: Why Is It Necessary To Separate Parents From Children When Detained At Border?” Tim Hains, RCP Livewire
“Immigrant moms in SeaTac prison ‘could hear their children screaming,'” Casey Martin, KUOW
“President of Catholic bishops group calls policy separating migrant families ‘immoral,’” Luis Sanchez, The Hill
“CNN: Jailed Immigrant Mother Says Child Was Taken During Breastfeeding,” Matt Shuham, TPM Livewire
Related:
“Dr. Ruth, Dr. Kissinger, and Trump’s Cruelty to Families,” George Packer, The New Yorker
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