DHS Secretary Kristjen Nielsen jumped on Twitter yesterday to fight back against the misreporting of the media with regard to separating children from families at the border, telling them that it must stop:
This misreporting by Members, press & advocacy groups must stop. It is irresponsible and unproductive. As I have said many times before, if you are seeking asylum for your family, there is no reason to break the law and illegally cross between ports of entry.
— Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen (@SecNielsen) June 17, 2018
You are not breaking the law by seeking asylum at a port of entry.
— Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen (@SecNielsen) June 17, 2018
We do not have a policy of separating families at the border. Period.
— Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen (@SecNielsen) June 17, 2018
For those seeking asylum at ports of entry, we have continued the policy from previous Administrations and will only separate if the child is in danger, there is no custodial relationship between 'family' members, or if the adult has broken a law.
— Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen (@SecNielsen) June 17, 2018
DHS takes very seriously its duty to protect minors in our temporary custody from gangs, traffickers, criminals and abuse.
— Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen (@SecNielsen) June 17, 2018
UPDATE: This is part of what Nielson is talking about:
I’m lucky. I got to hold this nugget in my arms. I still get to. Imagine you’re a mommy who can’t, because of this awful Trump policy at the border that rips children away from their families. THIS MUST STOP. pic.twitter.com/mt584HtdHj
— S.E. Cupp (@secupp) June 16, 2018
It’s become ridiculous.
#EndUpdate
As Rich Lowry pointed out a few weeks ago:
Separation happens only if officials find that the adult is falsely claiming to be the child’s parent, or is a threat to the child, or is put into criminal proceedings.
If you cross into the country illegally, you are put into criminal proceedings and by law children must be separated at that point, until the proceeding is over.
But according to Secretary Nielson (and Rich Lowry), if you are seeking asylum at the border without crossing illegally, there is no separation unless it’s determined the child is in danger or the person bringing the child across the border isn’t a family member.
This morning Trump add his own two cents by tweeting this a few minutes ago:
Why don’t the Democrats give us the votes to fix the world’s worst immigration laws? Where is the outcry for the killings and crime being caused by gangs and thugs, including MS-13, coming into our country illegally?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2018
UPDATE 2: Trump just added these tweets to the mix:
Children are being used by some of the worst criminals on earth as a means to enter our country. Has anyone been looking at the Crime taking place south of the border. It is historic, with some countries the most dangerous places in the world. Not going to happen in the U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2018
CHANGE THE LAWS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2018
It is the Democrats fault for being weak and ineffective with Boarder Security and Crime. Tell them to start thinking about the people devastated by Crime coming from illegal immigration. Change the laws!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2018