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President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in front of the White House. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)
'Monstrous': Trump Blames Migrants for Appalling Conditions at Border Patrol Detention Centers
"It's hard to overstate the level of venality and depravity this man is capable of."
Jul 04, 2019
In response to photos, news reports, and first-hand accounts of the horrific conditions inside Border Patrol detention centers in Texas, President Donald Trump on Wednesday fired off a tweet blaming migrants themselves for the abuse they are now enduring at the hands of his administration.
"If illegal immigrants are unhappy with the conditions in the quickly built or refitted detentions centers, just tell them not to come," Trump wrote. "All problems solved!"
Critics slammed the president's tweet as a particularly "monstrous" example of victim blaming as the administration faces accusations of rampant mistreatment of asylum seekers and immigrant children, many of whom have been separated from their families and forced to live in overcrowded facilities without adequate food, water, soap, toothpaste, and other basic necessities.
Some argued the president's tweet amounted to an admission that his administration is deliberately creating appalling conditions at detention facilities along the southern border in an effort to deter migrants entering the United States.
And there it is. An admission that the cruelty is indeed the point. https://t.co/ujeC3RwZtz
-- Matt Valenti (@MattDValenti) July 3, 2019
In a series of earlier tweets on Wednesday, Trump praised Border Patrol for doing a "great job" as the agency comes under fire for a secret Facebook group in which current and former officials made violent and xenophobic comments about members of Congress and migrants.
Trump also attempted to justify the squalid conditions at detention facilities by claiming they are "far better" and "far safer" than the environment migrants fled.
"It's hard to overstate the level of venality and depravity this man is capable of," Greg Sargent of the Washington Post wrote in response to the president's tweets.
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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. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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In response to photos, news reports, and first-hand accounts of the horrific conditions inside Border Patrol detention centers in Texas, President Donald Trump on Wednesday fired off a tweet blaming migrants themselves for the abuse they are now enduring at the hands of his administration.
"If illegal immigrants are unhappy with the conditions in the quickly built or refitted detentions centers, just tell them not to come," Trump wrote. "All problems solved!"
Critics slammed the president's tweet as a particularly "monstrous" example of victim blaming as the administration faces accusations of rampant mistreatment of asylum seekers and immigrant children, many of whom have been separated from their families and forced to live in overcrowded facilities without adequate food, water, soap, toothpaste, and other basic necessities.
Some argued the president's tweet amounted to an admission that his administration is deliberately creating appalling conditions at detention facilities along the southern border in an effort to deter migrants entering the United States.
And there it is. An admission that the cruelty is indeed the point. https://t.co/ujeC3RwZtz
-- Matt Valenti (@MattDValenti) July 3, 2019
In a series of earlier tweets on Wednesday, Trump praised Border Patrol for doing a "great job" as the agency comes under fire for a secret Facebook group in which current and former officials made violent and xenophobic comments about members of Congress and migrants.
Trump also attempted to justify the squalid conditions at detention facilities by claiming they are "far better" and "far safer" than the environment migrants fled.
"It's hard to overstate the level of venality and depravity this man is capable of," Greg Sargent of the Washington Post wrote in response to the president's tweets.
In response to photos, news reports, and first-hand accounts of the horrific conditions inside Border Patrol detention centers in Texas, President Donald Trump on Wednesday fired off a tweet blaming migrants themselves for the abuse they are now enduring at the hands of his administration.
"If illegal immigrants are unhappy with the conditions in the quickly built or refitted detentions centers, just tell them not to come," Trump wrote. "All problems solved!"
Critics slammed the president's tweet as a particularly "monstrous" example of victim blaming as the administration faces accusations of rampant mistreatment of asylum seekers and immigrant children, many of whom have been separated from their families and forced to live in overcrowded facilities without adequate food, water, soap, toothpaste, and other basic necessities.
Some argued the president's tweet amounted to an admission that his administration is deliberately creating appalling conditions at detention facilities along the southern border in an effort to deter migrants entering the United States.
And there it is. An admission that the cruelty is indeed the point. https://t.co/ujeC3RwZtz
-- Matt Valenti (@MattDValenti) July 3, 2019
In a series of earlier tweets on Wednesday, Trump praised Border Patrol for doing a "great job" as the agency comes under fire for a secret Facebook group in which current and former officials made violent and xenophobic comments about members of Congress and migrants.
Trump also attempted to justify the squalid conditions at detention facilities by claiming they are "far better" and "far safer" than the environment migrants fled.
"It's hard to overstate the level of venality and depravity this man is capable of," Greg Sargent of the Washington Post wrote in response to the president's tweets.
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