Tearing Immigrant Children Away From Their Parents

Floor Speech

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Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express grave concern about the acceleration of the separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border due to the Trump Administration's ``zero tolerance'' policy toward border crossers. According to Reuters, more than 1,800 families have been separated from their children in the periods between October 2016 and February 2018.

Since then, the number has dramatically increased. Recent testimony from CBP officials shows that in the two weeks following Attorney General Jeff Sessions' May 7th announcement of the policy, 638 adults with 658 children were placed in the prosecution process, effectively separating them from their children for an indefinite time period. In McAllen, Texas alone, federal defenders counted 421 immigrant parents coming through the court room in the period between May 21st and June 5th. This number is alarming and disgraceful.

While their parents are prosecuted, children are placed in Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) contract facilities like Southwest Key in Brownsville, Texas, an old Wal-Mart now being used to house children detainees. Several reports indicate that children in CBP custody are held in kennel-like cages and are being verbally, emotionally, physically, and sexually mistreated. We do not know the exact number of children being held, what they are doing with them inside, or how long these children remain ``in custody'' before they are able to see their parents. What we do know is that allowing children to be ripped from their families is a terrible policy that the United Nations has already explicitly condemned.

The Trump Administration, through their own volition, decided that it is in the national interest of the United States to cause such pain and suffering. Multiple studies have shown that separating children from their families is a traumatizing experience with lifelong consequences. To be clear Mr. Speaker, there is no law that requires families to be torn apart. There is no law that requires that a child go through such a traumatizing experience. What these children are going through is reprehensible, unacceptable, and in blatant disregard to the values of these United States.

Our country was founded on the notion that all peoples are worthy of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Immigrants come to this country searching and hoping to fulfill the American Dream. Many immigrants risk their lives fleeing their countries plagued with violence. It is repugnant that the Trump Administration continues to torment such vulnerable individuals, particularly toddlers, in such an atrocious manner.

As the world's leading democracy, we should strive to protect human rights, regardless of one's citizenship or place of origin. Our nation's child welfare laws have long recognized family unity as an essential human right. As such, I joined with Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie Thompson to demand information Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Health and Human Services about the Administration's de facto policy of separating families at the border. We need answers and every single day that passes, more families face the risk of being separated from their loved one.

I urge my colleagues to join me in seeking answers from this Administration. We cannot let these voices go unheard. These children are suffering and are in desperate need of our support.

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