A response from Little Marco.
----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Senator Marco Rubio
<Do_Not_Reply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>To: "nmcheryl@xxxxxxxxx"
<nmcheryl@xxxxxxxxx>Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2018, 7:48:04 AM MDTSubject:
Responding to your message
Dear Ms. Passalaqua,
Thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts on the separation of
migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border. Understanding your views helps me
to better represent Florida in the United States Senate, and I appreciate the
opportunity to respond.
The trauma and hardships these families suffered in their homeland and on their
journey to the United States is heartbreaking. Their circumstances are the
result of violence and instability in their home countries, as well as U.S.
immigration policies and practices that have incentivized adults to bring
children on the dangerous journey to unlawfully cross our southern border. It
is cruel to separate families, but it is also cruel and irresponsible to return
to a policy that encourages parents to bring their children on this dangerous
journey.
While we must enforce our laws, it is important to do so in a way that is true
to our values as a nation of compassion. We must do all that we can to ensure
that children separated from their families are housed in a safe, nurturing
environment and reunited as soon as possible. In order to help bring an end to
this migratory crisis, we must also assist the nations these immigrants are
fleeing by helping to address the root causes and conditions driving this
migration.
On June 20, 2018, my Senate colleagues and I introduced the Keep Families
Together and Enforce the Law Act (S. 3093). This legislation would safeguard
the integrity of our nation’s immigration laws by mandating that parents and
children apprehended at the border remain together during their immigration
proceedings, set humane standards of care for detained families, ensure
detained migrant children are housed away from dangerous individuals, and
authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to increase the number of family
residential centers available. To expedite immigration proceedings, this bill
would also authorize 225 new immigration judges and require the Secretary of
Homeland Security and the Attorney General to prioritize the resolution of
cases regarding migrant children and families housed in family residential
centers.
Although President Trump signed an Executive Order to end the policy of
separating families at the border, Congress needs to act swiftly to codify the
humane treatment of detained families and prioritize their immigration
proceedings to expeditiously transport them back to their homeland as a family
or admit them, as appropriate, into the United States.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve you as your United States Senator. I
will keep your thoughts in mind as I consider these issues and continue working
to ensure American remains a safe and prosperous nation.
Sincerely,
Marco Rubio
United States Senator
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