DEMS TRY TO TIE GOV TO PREZ’S BORDER PLAN
President Trump, reacting to virulent political pressure, yesterday changed his administration’s policy and will now allow illegal immigrant families to stay together in custody — even as Massachusetts Democrats fired up an effort to link Gov. Charlie Baker to the Republican president’s immigration policies.
“We’ve got a governor who every step of the way has been complicit with it,” said Jay Gonzalez, a Democratic candidate for governor, who called the previous policy of separating children from their parents in custody “cruel.”
Gonzalez spoke at a rally yesterday afternoon outside the State House, where hundreds of chanting, sign-carrying protesters from various advocacy groups gathered to speak out against Trump’s immigration policies, which have tightened enforcement, particularly along the border with Mexico.
Trump has made immigration a centerpiece of his agenda since the start of his presidential campaign. The issue has remained deeply controversial, coming to a head again over the last few days as images and audio emerged showing illegal immigrant children being held apart from their parents in cells near the border.
Authorities have moved some of the children to other states, including New York. Baker’s office said yesterday none had been moved to Massachusetts.
Trump signed an executive order yesterday that aims to stop separating the children from their parents. Under the new policy, people who enter the United States illegally will still be prosecuted, but authorities now will hold children with their parents.
John Walsh, former chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, accused Baker of flip-flopping in his support for Trump’s policies and said he wants the governor to take a firmer opposition stance.
“You can’t bob and weave your way out of this one,” Walsh said, adding that Baker had initially planned to let Massachusetts National Guard units be deployed on the southern border before he reversed himself on that this week.
Baker has been highly critical of Trump since the 2016 presidential campaign, and yesterday Baker’s office brushed off Walsh’s criticism, noting the governor was one of the first high-profile Republicans to break with Trump after the news about the children came out. Earlier this week, Baker spokeswoman Lizzy Guyton called the family separation policy “inhumane” as Baker announced he would be canceling a Massachusetts National Guard helicopter deployment.
Trump’s “zero tolerance” approach to illegal immigration is popular with Republicans, but national polls have shown broad distaste for breaking up illegal immigrant families as they await prosecution.
Mary Jane Bird, a Somerville resident who attended yesterday’s State House rally, said she hopes Trump’s executive order does keep kids with their parents.
“I don’t care who does it or what side it comes from — I just want it to stop,” Bird said.
Aviv Hod of Marblehead, who immigrated to the United States from Israel when he was a child, said he would like to see comprehensive immigration reform. Hod, who also attended the rally, said he wants it to be easier to move to the U.S. legally and for the laws in place to be clearer.
“Some people will get deported,” Hod said. “I’m OK with that. There are rules.”