June 21, 2018

Castro Statement on Trump’s Family Separation Executive Order

WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and First Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, today made the following statement:

“Since April, over 2,300 children have been separated from their parents due to this Administration’s zero-tolerance, and zero-humanity, immigration policy. The White House and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen have repeatedly blamed Congress for enabling a loophole that created this policy. But that’s not reality, and today’s Executive Order (EO) signed by President Trump proves that he lied to the American people and is brazenly spinning the narrative so he appears to be the only President that has the ‘courage’ to fix it.

“The Affording Congress an Opportunity to Address Family Separation EO temporarily suspends separating families and instead jails families together indefinitely. This EO also continues the zero-tolerance prosecution policy for those apprehended at the border, which created this humanitarian disaster in the first place, and creates leverage for Speaker Ryan to now pass legislation in the House that would fund Trump’s previously promised border wall. Separating children is wrong, but so too is jailing families indefinitely

“It’s astounding to think this is where we are as a nation right now—holding immigrant children hostage to follow through on campaign promises, detaining families in inhumane conditions, and punishing asylum seekers who come to America in search of a better chance at life. We must verify that the President is swiftly uniting these children with their families and treat people like human beings instead of animals. The President signed this EO because the American people and those around the world spoke out, and we must continuing fighting this broader immigration policy so we can return to our nation’s core values of freedom, respect, and dignity for all.”

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