City Council condemns controversial policy
Her voice cracking with emotion, City Councilor Michelle Wu introduced a resolution adopted unanimously yesterday condemning the federal government’s policy of separating children from their parents at the border.
“I have not been able to leave the house the last couple of days without breaking down. I’m leaving my house with my babies, dropping them off here at day care and I just can’t help it,” said Wu, her voice shaking. Wu is the mother of two young boys.
“To see images of children being ripped away from their families is just something we can not stand for.”
Wu, along with Councilors Josh Zakim and Ayanna Pressley, sponsored the resolution.
Councilor Matt O’Malley said as much as the horrific images, audio of children crying is equally heartbreaking.
“This isn’t about politics. This isn’t about partisanship. This is about humanity. This is about kindness,” he said. “I’ve been listening to audiotape of children crying, infants crying ... it seems surreal.”
Amid national furor, President Trump signed an executive order yesterday ending the administration’s separation policy.
Pressley said the council had to stand up as a united front.
“Will it reverse the hurt of this racist, cruel and inhumane policy that is basically a mandate of child abuse and the separation of families? Probably not,” Pressley said. “But it’s important that we do it.”
Council President Andrea Campbell called the Trump administration’s policy “disturbing.”
“This is not what Christianity, or any faith, is about, ripping children from their families, ripping children from their parents, treating children in such a way.”
Mayor Martin J. Walsh critized Trump on Tuesday, saying the policy was “the most inhumane thing I’ve ever seen in my life as far as something we’ve done as a country.”