DHS officials have suggested arresting parents who attempt to cross the U.S.-Mexico border, as a caravan of migrants approached the border this week. (Photo: John Moore/Getty Images)
In "Cruel Public Policy Experiment," Trump's DHS Wants to "Protect" Immigrant Children By Arresting Their Parents
A new proposal would treat parents as "nefarious actors," leading asylum experts to decry the psychological toll on parents and children
Immigrant rights groups were outraged on Friday as reports surfaced of a new proposal by officials at Trump's Department of Homeland Security to arrest, detain, and then prosecute adults who attempt to cross the U.S.-Mexico border with their children--a "zero tolerance" policy that critics say would rip apart thousands of families.
The proposal would make "children as young as two and three years old pawns in a cruel public policy experiment," according to Lee Gelernt, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union.
The department has also floated the idea of separating parents from their children as soon as they are apprehended as another deterrent to families attempting to immigrate.
Now, DHS officials are suggesting that parents attempting to accompany their children in border crossings should be treated as potentially dangerous human traffickers, and detained in criminal detention facilities.
Instead of quickly releasing parents who are detained, as DHS does now the majority of the time, the department would threaten parents with criminal charges and jail time--the "most effective" deterrent to immigrating families, according to an internal memo obtained by the Washington Post.
DHS has "a legal obligation to protect the best interests of the child whether that be from human smugglings, drug traffickers, or nefarious actors who knowingly break our immigration laws and put minor children at risk," department spokesperson Katie Waldman told The Hill on Friday.
Reports of the new potential prosecution policy come as a caravan of about 200 migrants approach the border with plans to request asylum, having traveled through Mexico from Central America. The Trump administration and Fox News have denounced the expected arrival of the group as a "disgrace" to national security. Most of the travelers are women and children, making the journey as a large group for safety.
Philip G. Schrag, a Georgetown law professor and asylum expert, called the proposal to charge immigrant parents with crimes "terrible for both the children and the parents."
"I think it's absolutely wrenching psychologically...What are we doing to those children psychologically that will haunt us years down the road if they become Americans?" he said to the Post.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Immigrant rights groups were outraged on Friday as reports surfaced of a new proposal by officials at Trump's Department of Homeland Security to arrest, detain, and then prosecute adults who attempt to cross the U.S.-Mexico border with their children--a "zero tolerance" policy that critics say would rip apart thousands of families.
The proposal would make "children as young as two and three years old pawns in a cruel public policy experiment," according to Lee Gelernt, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union.
The department has also floated the idea of separating parents from their children as soon as they are apprehended as another deterrent to families attempting to immigrate.
Now, DHS officials are suggesting that parents attempting to accompany their children in border crossings should be treated as potentially dangerous human traffickers, and detained in criminal detention facilities.
Instead of quickly releasing parents who are detained, as DHS does now the majority of the time, the department would threaten parents with criminal charges and jail time--the "most effective" deterrent to immigrating families, according to an internal memo obtained by the Washington Post.
DHS has "a legal obligation to protect the best interests of the child whether that be from human smugglings, drug traffickers, or nefarious actors who knowingly break our immigration laws and put minor children at risk," department spokesperson Katie Waldman told The Hill on Friday.
Reports of the new potential prosecution policy come as a caravan of about 200 migrants approach the border with plans to request asylum, having traveled through Mexico from Central America. The Trump administration and Fox News have denounced the expected arrival of the group as a "disgrace" to national security. Most of the travelers are women and children, making the journey as a large group for safety.
Philip G. Schrag, a Georgetown law professor and asylum expert, called the proposal to charge immigrant parents with crimes "terrible for both the children and the parents."
"I think it's absolutely wrenching psychologically...What are we doing to those children psychologically that will haunt us years down the road if they become Americans?" he said to the Post.
Immigrant rights groups were outraged on Friday as reports surfaced of a new proposal by officials at Trump's Department of Homeland Security to arrest, detain, and then prosecute adults who attempt to cross the U.S.-Mexico border with their children--a "zero tolerance" policy that critics say would rip apart thousands of families.
The proposal would make "children as young as two and three years old pawns in a cruel public policy experiment," according to Lee Gelernt, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union.
The department has also floated the idea of separating parents from their children as soon as they are apprehended as another deterrent to families attempting to immigrate.
Now, DHS officials are suggesting that parents attempting to accompany their children in border crossings should be treated as potentially dangerous human traffickers, and detained in criminal detention facilities.
Instead of quickly releasing parents who are detained, as DHS does now the majority of the time, the department would threaten parents with criminal charges and jail time--the "most effective" deterrent to immigrating families, according to an internal memo obtained by the Washington Post.
DHS has "a legal obligation to protect the best interests of the child whether that be from human smugglings, drug traffickers, or nefarious actors who knowingly break our immigration laws and put minor children at risk," department spokesperson Katie Waldman told The Hill on Friday.
Reports of the new potential prosecution policy come as a caravan of about 200 migrants approach the border with plans to request asylum, having traveled through Mexico from Central America. The Trump administration and Fox News have denounced the expected arrival of the group as a "disgrace" to national security. Most of the travelers are women and children, making the journey as a large group for safety.
Philip G. Schrag, a Georgetown law professor and asylum expert, called the proposal to charge immigrant parents with crimes "terrible for both the children and the parents."
"I think it's absolutely wrenching psychologically...What are we doing to those children psychologically that will haunt us years down the road if they become Americans?" he said to the Post.