GOP respond to child migrant outcry
Republicans pushing to have parents, children detained together
WASHINGTON— Republicans on Capitol Hill frantically searched on Tuesday for ways to end Trump administration’s policy of separating families after illegal border crossings, with the focus shifting on a new plan to keep children in detention longer than now permitted — but with their parents.
House GOP leaders are revising their legislation amid a public outcry over U.S. President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” approach to illegal crossings. The change would loosen rules that now limit the amount of time minors can be held to 20 days, according to a GOP source familiar with the measure. Instead, the children could be detained with their parents for extended periods.
The revised bill would also give Department of Homeland Security the authority to use $7 billion (U.S.) in border technology funding to pay for family detention centres, the person said.
Expanded facilities could be key, as migrant children separated from their parents are currently housed by a different department, Health and Human Services. The person providing the information on the proposal was not authorized to do so by name and commented only on condition of anonymity.
In the Senate, meanwhile, Republicans are rallying behind narrow legislation that would allow detained families to stay together while expediting their deportation proceedings.
The second-ranking Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, said they’re proposing a “humane, safe and secure family facility” where parents and minor children could be detained together. He said families would move to the head of the line for processing.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters that all Senate Republicans are supporting the plan.
He said he’s reaching out to Democrats for bipartisan backing, since the proposal would need to reach a 60-vote threshold for approval in the Senate.
But Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York signalled that no such support would be coming, saying it’s already in Trump’s power to keep the families together.
“There’s no need for legislation. There’s no need for any- thing else. You can do it. Mr. President you started it, you can stop it.”
Republicans were scrambling to update their approach ahead of a visit from Trump, who called earlier in the day for Congress to approve what he called a third option to address the family separations.
“So what I’m asking Congress to do is to give us a third option, which we have been requesting since last year, the legal authority to detain and promptly remove families together as a unit,” Trump said Tuesday.
“We have to be able to do this. This is the only solution to the border crisis.”
Trump’s meeting at the Capitol comes as lawmakers in both parties are up in arms after days of news reports showing images of children being held at border facilities in cages and an audio recording of a young child pleading for his “Papa.”
Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House oversight and government reform committee, pleaded with Republicans on the panel to end what he called “internment camps.”
“We need you, those children need you — and I am talking directly to my Republican colleagues — we need you to stand up to President Donald Trump,” he said.