Callous. Soulless. Craven. Trump.
Prez’s edict led to 2,000 children ripped from parents at border in just 6 weeks
Federal authorities separated nearly 2,000 kids from their families during a six-week immigration crackdown along the U.S.-Mexico border, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed Friday.
The details of the divided families came as President Trump turned up his nose at a compromise immigration bill drawn up by moderate Republicans — who hoped to push the legislation through next week.
“I certainly wouldn't sign the more moderate (bill),” said Trump during a Fox News interview. “I need a bill that gives this country tremendous border security. I have to have that.”
Trump's comment seemed to scuttle plans by House Speaker Paul Ryan and other GOP representatives to raise support for a bill offering the nation's 1.8 million “Dreamers” a path to citizenship and a pass from deportation.
Only hours later, the White House contradicted the president's remarks by saying he misunderstood the question — the latest confusion surrounding Trump's position on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
The president, in an afternoon tweet, laid out his prerequisites for legislation.
“Any immigration bill MUST HAVE full funding for the Wall, end Catch & Release, Visa Lottery and Chain, and go to Merit Based Immigration,” he wrote. “Go for it! WIN!”
The breaking apart of families, over the heavy criticism of Democratic politicians, was dictated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Department of Homeland Security officials were instructed to take the children away from families trying to illegally enter the U.S., even in the case of immigrants seeking asylum.
The removal of the kids is done before their parents or other adults are prosecuted. According to federal officials, the policy affected 1,995 children between April 19 and May 31. At that rate, nearly four dozen children per day were spirited away from their relatives.
Yet Trump, despite his administration's role in the policy, washed his hands of the mess attacked by critics as cruel and heartless.
“I hate the children being taken away,” Trump said Friday outside the White House. “The Democrats have to change their law. That's the Democrat's law. We can change it tonight. We can change it right now.”
The swelling number of children led the Trump Administration to announce plans for a Tornillo, Texas, “tent city” with beds for more than 400 children.
While Sessions has acknowledged the move is meant to slow the immigrant traffic at the border, the DHS insists deterrence is not the goal. Sessions has rather oddly suggested the crackdown was following the dictates of the Bible.
“I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13, to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order,” he said. “Orderly and lawful processes are good in themselves and protect the weak and lawful.”