More Misinformation from the Media:
A 2014 court hearing in San Francisco on unaccompanied minors who arrived in the U.S. from Central America. From separating children from their parents at the border . . . the Trump administration is under fire for its inhumane immigration practices. There’s been a deluge of terrifying headlines about the Trump administration’s immigration practices over the past few weeks. Many of the stories focus on harrowing stories about immigrant children separated from their parents or guardians—either at the U.S. border, or because the administration “forgot” to keep track of them. – How Trump’s Immigration Policy Is Harming Children, San Francisco Chronicle, 5/29/18 [link]
Fact Check: Until just a few years ago the overwhelming majority of illegal aliens crossing the border were adults. Subsequently, many began bringing children with them, often showing little regard for their safety and wellbeing. Under President Obama’s “catch and release” policy, the word got out that adults with children would be released from custody if apprehended—provided they promised to show for an amnesty hearing. This was a promise most often not kept.
President Trump has set a different course, that of actually trying to enforce our immigration laws. This requires keeping illegal aliens in custody until their asylum claims can be judged. In the meantime, the children accompanying them are held in separate detention centers for no longer than 20 days. The reason for the separation is that mixing adults and juveniles in the same facility could pose problems for the young people. In many instances the adults accompanying the juveniles are not their parents or other relatives.
After the 20 days in detention, the young people are put in foster care, often with illegal alien relatives in the U.S. Those who arrive unaccompanied by adults also go to foster care. The government does its best to check on their wellbeing, but the illegal resident guardians don’t want any contact with the government for fear they might be deported. Illegal aliens advocates have spun on this lack of contact to claim that it’s the consequence of the Trump Administration’s callous indifference—rather than place the responsibility were it really belongs—on the guardians.
The blame for whatever “harrowing” experiences the migrant children face does not rest on the Trump Administration. The true culprits are the illegal alien advocates who encourage foreign adults to bring children with “catch and release.” Another of their inducements is trying to water down the requirements for asylum so that virtually anyone can qualify. With this prospect held before them, potential migrants are encouraged to come and try their luck with the asylum lottery.
Illegal alien advocates are using children to manipulate outrage against the Trump Administration. By doing so, they reveal their real game: Use the kids as pawns as they play to checkmate our country’s rule of law.