Donald Trump dramatically backs down on family border separations
Trump says he'll sign an order to keep migrant families together after widespread criticism. Photo: Getty
President Donald Trump has dramatically reversed his controversial policy of separating migrant children from their parents in the face of overwhelming condemnation from both sides of US politics.
After previously arguing he had no authority to stop the separations of undocumented immigrant families at the US-Mexico border, Mr Trump signed an executive order on Thursday morning (AEST) to keep parents and their children together.
“We’re signing an executive order. I consider it to be a very important executive order. It’s about keeping families together, while at the same time being sure we have a very powerful, very strong border,” Mr Trump said at the White House.
“The border is just as tough. But we do want to keep families together. We are keeping the family together,” he said.
Mr Trump’s backdown came in the face of fierce pressure from across US politics and from religious, political and world leaders to halt what was described as “heartless” separations.
The calls to end the policy intensified after photos emerged from a Texas detention centre this week showing children locked in cages, and leaked audio revealed the heartrending reality of forcing young children from their families.
Despite the reversal, Mr Trump maintained he wasn’t backing down on illegal migration.
He said his order would not end the “zero-tolerance” policy that criminally prosecutes all adults caught crossing the border illegally.
The new executive order aims to keep families together while they are in custody, expedite their cases, and ask the Department of Defense to help house families.
Mr Trump’s decision comes just a day after he claimed his administration’s hands were tied on family separations without congressional action.
“Under current law, we have only two policy options to respond to this massive crisis. We can either release all illegal immigrant families and minors who show up at the border from Central America or we can arrest the adults for the federal crime of illegal entry,” he said.
“Those are the only two options, totally open borders or criminal prosecution for law-breaking.”
First lady Melania Trump is thought to have played a part in Mr Trump’s backdown.
A White House official told the Associated Press that Mrs Trump had been making her opinion known to the President for some time that she felt he needed to do all he could to help families stay together, whether by working with Congress or acting on his own.
Pope Francis has also been urging Mr Trump to act, tweeting earlier that: “A person’s dignity does not depend on them being a citizen, a migrant, or a refugee. Saving the life of someone fleeing war and poverty is an act of humanity.”
A person's dignity does not depend on them being a citizen, a migrant, or a refugee. Saving the life of someone fleeing war and poverty is an act of humanity. #WithRefugees @M_RSection
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 20, 2018
British Prime Minister Theresa May declared the US was wrong to separate migrant children from their parents, but rejected calls to cancel Mr Trump’s visit to the UK next month.
Ms May said Wednesday night that images of children in cages were “deeply disturbing. This is wrong. This is not something that we agree with”.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was verbally attacked by Mr Trump over trade, also said the current US policy of separating child migrants from their parents and detaining them is “unacceptable”.
Hours before signing his executive order, Mr Trump again blamed the opposition Democratic Party for the situation at the US border with Mexico.
“It’s the Democrats fault, they won’t give us the votes needed to pass good immigration legislation. They want open borders, which breeds horrible crime. Republicans want security. But I am working on something – it never ends!” he wrote.
It’s the Democrats fault, they won’t give us the votes needed to pass good immigration legislation. They want open borders, which breeds horrible crime. Republicans want security. But I am working on something – it never ends!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 20, 2018
Mr Trump’s own Republican Party, meanwhile, had been working on legislation to will allow families detained at the US-Mexico border to stay together, speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan said.
“We don’t think families should be separated. Period,” Mr Ryan said Thursday morning (AEST). “We can enforce our laws and keep families together.”
US Customs and Border Protection have said that 2342 children had been separated from their parents at the border between May 5 and June 9 this year.
-with AAP
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