[rtt-abq] Fw: Udall, Heinrich Introduce Legislation to Prevent Separation of Immigrant Families at the Border
- From: "Cheryl Passalaqua" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted sender "nmcheryl" for DMARC)
- To: "rtt-abq@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <rtt-abq@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2019 19:36:01 +0000 (UTC)
More great things news from our Senators. Thank you, Karen, for sharing!
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 6, 2019
Udall, Heinrich Introduce Legislation to Prevent Separation of Immigrant
Families at the Border
Senators continue to hold Trump administration accountable for its cruel and
disastrous family separation policy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, along with 40 other
Democratic senators, introduced legislation to keep immigrant families together
and prevent the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from taking children from
their parents at the border. The Keep Families Together Act would prohibit the
separation of children from their parents or legal guardians at or near ports
of entry or within 100 miles of the border, unless they are being trafficked or
abused by their parents. The legislation was developed in consultation with
child welfare experts to ensure the federal government is acting in the best
interest of children and is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics,
Kids In Need of Defense (KIND), Children’s Law Center, Young Center for
Immigrant Rights, and the Women's Refugee Commission.
In June 2018, Udall and Heinrich traveled to the border to visit Tornillo,
Texas, where they examined a temporary tent facility housing children, many of
whom had been separated from their parents as a result the Trump
administration’s family separation policy. They witnessed firsthand the
devastating consequences of a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach, and demanded that the
administration immediately reunite separated children with their families.
Udall and Heinrich also urged greater Congressional oversight into the Trump
administration’s plans to reunite families, and fought to hold the Trump
administration accountable for its family separation policy.
“The Trump administration’s failed and inhumane family separation policy is
leaving a lasting stain on our country’s history,” said Udall. “We continue to
uncover new and disturbing revelations about how the administration carried out
this shameful policy, showing that the Trump administration’s utter cruelty has
perhaps been surpassed only by its sheer incompetence and mismanagement. Child
welfare and pediatric experts confirm what we already know: the Trump
administration’s actions likely caused lasting trauma for thousands of children
and families – most of whom had already experienced grave hardship, fleeing
their home countries in search of safety at our borders. The Trump
administration ripped apart families, as children and babies were torn away
from their parents and sent to detention facilities, and caused unconscionable
harm to separated children, many of whom are still suffering from the
emotional, physical, and psychological consequences of their horrific
experience. As a border state senator, I’m proud to stand together with New
Mexicans in condemning this cruel and unnecessary policy. I will continue to
hold this administration accountable, and fight to make sure this never happens
again and that all children are reunited with their families.”
“The president’s inhumane and reckless immigration policies continue to put the
lives of children in danger. Family separation inflicts permanent trauma on
innocent children and their parents, many of whom are fleeing violence and
seeking asylum,” said Heinrich. “Ripping children as young as infants and
toddlers away from their parents as a form of punishment or deterrence is
morally indefensible. We must hold the White House accountable for adhering to
our laws and to American values.”
Last year, the Trump administration formally implemented a “zero-tolerance”
policy, directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to criminally prosecute all
adults who arrive at the border without documentation — including those
attempting to seek asylum — for the misdemeanor offense of illegal entry. This
policy, which had never before been pursued, resulted in thousands of children
being separated from their parents or guardians, and inflicted enormous short-
and long-term trauma on affected families. Litigation challenging the policy
revealed that 2,737 children were separated from their parents and detained in
the custody of Health and Human Services as of June 26, 2018.
More recently, a report by the Health and Human Services Inspector General (IG)
released earlier this month concluded that thousands more children may have
been separated from their parents prior to June 26. Since the Trump
administration failed to implement a system to track children separated from
their parents, it was not possible for the IG to give a precise number. Just as
troubling, the IG report discovered that hundreds of children were separated
from their parents after the court issued its order barring separations. Recent
statements from the administration also suggest that it may not be able to
reunite some families after a number of records linking parents with their
children have disappeared, and in some cases were destroyed.
The full text of the legislation is available HERE.
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Contacts: Ned Adriance (Udall) 202.228.6870 / Vanessa Valdivia (Heinrich)
202.228.1578
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- » [rtt-abq] Fw: Udall, Heinrich Introduce Legislation to Prevent Separation of Immigrant Families at the Border - Cheryl Passalaqua
