Trump 'Hates' Families Being Parted At Border, Insists Dems Must Change Law [View all]

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo


By Kate Riga | June 15, 2018 10:35 am

President Donald Trump said Friday that he “hates” migrant parents being separated from their children at the U.S.-Mexico border and insisted that the “Democratic law” that requires the separation can only be changed by Democratic lawmakers, despite the Republican majorities in Congress.

“The Democrats forced that law upon our nation,” he said during an impromptu press conference outside the White House. “I hate it. I hate to see separation of parents and children. The Democrats can come to us, as they actually are, in all fairness, we’re talking to them, and they can change the whole border security.”

The practice of separating parents from their children at the border is not enshrined in some Democratic administration’s law. According to an extensive Washington Post fact check, it is largely a product of Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ “zero tolerance” immigration policy, which includes prosecutorial crackdowns on all undocumented adults, while existing policy requires that minors not be held in captivity. Thus, it is Sessions’ policy that directly caused the separations.

In addition, Trump has routinely put the onus on the minority party to pass legislation ending the separations, for some reason exempting the Republican majorities from taking any action. In fact, a week ago, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and 39 cosponsors—all Democrats plus the two Independents who caucus with the Democrats—introduced the “Keeping Families Together Act” on the floor of the Senate.

-snip-

Link to tweet

Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-hates-families-being-separated-at-border-insists-democrats-change-law