Melania mercy mission to visit migrant children
MELANIA Trump made a surprise emotional visit to a children’s holding centre on the US border with Mexico yesterday – and vowed to help reunite youngsters with their parents.
The First Lady was visibly moved when she met centre officials and children aged between 12 and 17, some of whom had been segregated from their parents by her husband’s hardline immigration policy.
The unannounced visit came after Mrs Trump issued a rare policy statement criticising US president Donald Trump’s policy to separate migrant children from their families.
She urged him to govern “with heart” and this week he ended the practice.
Mrs Trump visited the Upbring New Hope Children’s Shelter in McAllen, Texas. Five of the 55 children there were split up from their parents and the rest arrived unaccompanied.
With children’s drawings on a wall behind her and a tree bearing the words “Acts of kindness”, Mrs Trump told officials: “I want to recognise each of you and thank you for all that you do every day and what you do for those children. We all know they are here without their families and I’d also like to ask you how I can help these children to reunite with their families.”
Dressed casually in a white top, white trousers and trainers, Mrs Trump spent 15 minutes quizzing shelter officials, who told her the typical stay was 45 days and children separated from their parents speak to them twice a week.
And she appeared to well up with tears when a worker spoke about their love for the children.
Mrs Trump was later due to visit a Customs and Border Patrol intake centre for migrant families.
CNN reported that Mr Trump approved of his wife’s visit, but he remained in Washington and held a cabinet meeting.
After signing an order rescinding the separation policy on Wednesday, Mr Trump said Melania and his daughter Ivanka “felt very strongly” about the policy.