| The controversy over the United States government’s practice of separating immigrant children from their parents or guardians at the U.S.-Mexico border has devolved into a partisan blame game, even as Congress considers ways to remediate a policy that has contributed to the detention of some 10,000unaccompanied minors. According to Department of Homeland Security figures, as many as 2,000 of those non-adult detainees were taken into custody over a six-week period in April and May following Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s announcement of a “zero tolerance” policy on illegal border crossings. At the same time as officials in his administration doubled down on that policy and defended it, President Trump and other Republicans attempted to blame the breakup of families on “bad legislation” enacted by Democrats — a claim that is patently untrue . For that matter, even some in United States President Donald Trump’s own party expressed reservations about the policy. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said separating children from their parents is “contrary to our values in this country.” Former first lady Laura Bush tweeted that it’s “immoral” and “breaks my heart.” And current first lady Melania Trump, through a spokesperson, said she “hates to see children separated from their families,” though she short of condemning the policy outright. (Please note, an almost identical quote attributed to Adolf Hitler’s mistress, Eva Braun, proved to be an Internet fabrication, as did a rumor to the effect that child detainees are being assigned ID numbers reminiscent of those tattooed on Holocaust victims). The House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on legislation that may modify the policy so that children would be allowed to remain with parents. |
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