Migrants walk into the interior of Mexico after crossing the Guatemalan border near Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico on Oct. 21, 2018. (Photo: John Moore/Getty Images)
'Despicable': Treating Human Beings as Political Pawns, Trump Reportedly Pushed to Drop Asylum Seekers in Democratic Sanctuary Cities
"The White House doesn't view migrants as human beings."
In what critics and rights groups condemned as further evidence that the Trump administration views asylum seekers as mere political pawns rather than vulnerable human beings, the White House reportedly considered dropping migrants off in Democratic districts as a supposed "punishment" for their opposition to the president's anti-immigrant agenda.
"The extent of this administration's cynicism and cruelty cannot be overstated," said Ashley Etienne, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), whose district was reportedly floated as a "target" by the White House. "Using human beings--including little children--as pawns in their warped game to perpetuate fear and demonize immigrants is despicable."
According to the Washington Post, which first reported on the White House plan late Thursday, "Trump administration officials have proposed transporting detained immigrants to sanctuary cities at least twice in the past six months--once in November, as a migrant caravan approached the U.S. southern border, and again in February, amid a standoff with Democrats over funding for Trump's border wall."
Anna Griffin, news director at Oregon Public Broadcasting, pointed out that an "unmentioned irony" of the Trump administration's cynical ploy is that, if it had been carried out, "folks in Portland and other sanctuary cities would have been very welcoming and probably looked for ways to make their guests feel at home."
President Donald Trump's xenophobic senior adviser Stephen Miller--who has been quickly gaining power in the White House amid an ongoing "purge" of immigration staff--spearheaded discussions of the proposal, the Post reported, citing Department of Homeland Security officials and internal administration emails.
"White House officials first broached the plan in a Nov. 16 email, asking officials at several agencies whether members of the caravan could be arrested at the border and then bused 'to small- and mid-sized sanctuary cities,' places where local authorities have refused to hand over illegal immigrants for deportation," according to the Post.
Progressives were appalled by the Trump administration's proposal, which the White House downplayed as little more than a "suggestion" that was not carried out.
As observers pointed out, the reported ploy lays bare once more the Trump administration's xenophobic and false view of migrants as dangerous "invaders," rather than people seeking refuge from violence and persecution in their home countries.
"These are people seeking safety, not political pawns," tweeted the ACLU.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters 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. |
In what critics and rights groups condemned as further evidence that the Trump administration views asylum seekers as mere political pawns rather than vulnerable human beings, the White House reportedly considered dropping migrants off in Democratic districts as a supposed "punishment" for their opposition to the president's anti-immigrant agenda.
"The extent of this administration's cynicism and cruelty cannot be overstated," said Ashley Etienne, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), whose district was reportedly floated as a "target" by the White House. "Using human beings--including little children--as pawns in their warped game to perpetuate fear and demonize immigrants is despicable."
According to the Washington Post, which first reported on the White House plan late Thursday, "Trump administration officials have proposed transporting detained immigrants to sanctuary cities at least twice in the past six months--once in November, as a migrant caravan approached the U.S. southern border, and again in February, amid a standoff with Democrats over funding for Trump's border wall."
Anna Griffin, news director at Oregon Public Broadcasting, pointed out that an "unmentioned irony" of the Trump administration's cynical ploy is that, if it had been carried out, "folks in Portland and other sanctuary cities would have been very welcoming and probably looked for ways to make their guests feel at home."
President Donald Trump's xenophobic senior adviser Stephen Miller--who has been quickly gaining power in the White House amid an ongoing "purge" of immigration staff--spearheaded discussions of the proposal, the Post reported, citing Department of Homeland Security officials and internal administration emails.
"White House officials first broached the plan in a Nov. 16 email, asking officials at several agencies whether members of the caravan could be arrested at the border and then bused 'to small- and mid-sized sanctuary cities,' places where local authorities have refused to hand over illegal immigrants for deportation," according to the Post.
Progressives were appalled by the Trump administration's proposal, which the White House downplayed as little more than a "suggestion" that was not carried out.
As observers pointed out, the reported ploy lays bare once more the Trump administration's xenophobic and false view of migrants as dangerous "invaders," rather than people seeking refuge from violence and persecution in their home countries.
"These are people seeking safety, not political pawns," tweeted the ACLU.
In what critics and rights groups condemned as further evidence that the Trump administration views asylum seekers as mere political pawns rather than vulnerable human beings, the White House reportedly considered dropping migrants off in Democratic districts as a supposed "punishment" for their opposition to the president's anti-immigrant agenda.
"The extent of this administration's cynicism and cruelty cannot be overstated," said Ashley Etienne, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), whose district was reportedly floated as a "target" by the White House. "Using human beings--including little children--as pawns in their warped game to perpetuate fear and demonize immigrants is despicable."
According to the Washington Post, which first reported on the White House plan late Thursday, "Trump administration officials have proposed transporting detained immigrants to sanctuary cities at least twice in the past six months--once in November, as a migrant caravan approached the U.S. southern border, and again in February, amid a standoff with Democrats over funding for Trump's border wall."
Anna Griffin, news director at Oregon Public Broadcasting, pointed out that an "unmentioned irony" of the Trump administration's cynical ploy is that, if it had been carried out, "folks in Portland and other sanctuary cities would have been very welcoming and probably looked for ways to make their guests feel at home."
President Donald Trump's xenophobic senior adviser Stephen Miller--who has been quickly gaining power in the White House amid an ongoing "purge" of immigration staff--spearheaded discussions of the proposal, the Post reported, citing Department of Homeland Security officials and internal administration emails.
"White House officials first broached the plan in a Nov. 16 email, asking officials at several agencies whether members of the caravan could be arrested at the border and then bused 'to small- and mid-sized sanctuary cities,' places where local authorities have refused to hand over illegal immigrants for deportation," according to the Post.
Progressives were appalled by the Trump administration's proposal, which the White House downplayed as little more than a "suggestion" that was not carried out.
As observers pointed out, the reported ploy lays bare once more the Trump administration's xenophobic and false view of migrants as dangerous "invaders," rather than people seeking refuge from violence and persecution in their home countries.
"These are people seeking safety, not political pawns," tweeted the ACLU.