The United States of America is now a nation that takes innocent children away from their parents, because their parents have come to this country illegally.
We, meaning all of us, are ripping children from their families and imprisoning them. In cages. I say We, because in the United States of America, We, the people, ARE the government.
Donald Trump and those who support him claim we HAVE to do this, because it is the law, “a democrat law” as Donald Trump likes to tweet. This is a lie. There is no law that requires immigrant families to be separated. When parents are charged with a crime, the law provides for the government, if need be, to take custody of their children. The decision to charge everyone crossing the border with illegal entry — and the decision to charge asylum seekers in criminal court rather than waiting to see if they qualify for asylum — are decisions the Trump administration has made.
Others have sought to defend this Trump policy by pointing to the laws that give extra protections to families, unaccompanied children, and asylum seekers. Saying these legal protections are “loopholes” and a “Democratic law”. This too, is a lie. The immigration law addressing unaccompanied children was passed overwhelmingly in 2008 and signed by George W. Bush. When Donald Trump or any Republican says there is a law that requires us to take children from their parents and put them in dog kennels in an abandoned Walmart in Texas, they are lying.
Donald Trump and those who support him claim we HAVE to do this, because it is the law, “a democrat law” as Donald Trump likes to tweet. This is a lie. There is no law that requires immigrant families to be separated. When parents are charged with a crime, the law provides for the government, if need be, to take custody of their children. The decision to charge everyone crossing the border with illegal entry — and the decision to charge asylum seekers in criminal court rather than waiting to see if they qualify for asylum — are decisions the Trump administration has made.
There is no law, there never was a law. No member of congress, Democrat, Republican, or Independent has ever introduced, sponsored, co-sponsored or voted on any bill that said, that the children of illegal immigrants must be taken away from their parents. No such law exists.
Donald Trump didn’t decide to do this to secure the border, or to stop some phantom threat from “MS-13” (the vast majority of whom are Americans already here, and not immigrants trying to get in). Donald Trump decided to do this, because it hurts people. Specifically, people who are not white, and hurting those people makes his base happy.
A very clear segment of Donald Trump’s supporters, love the idea of punishing brown people for trying to come to America, They cheered as Attorney General Jeff Sessions gleefully described it as “a powerful deterrent.“ Somewhere in the bowels of the Trump Administration somebody actually thought. Hey! I know! Let’s take their kids! That will show ‘em!
Not only did someone in the Trump White House think up such a thing, but they turned those thoughts into words, and actually then proposed such a thing, and it is Donald Trump who decided to do it.
Our immigration system in this country is a mess. Some of you have asked us, doesn’t it bother me or my husband to see people coming here illegally, while we are stuck in the very expensive limbo of his green card process. A process which prevents us at present, from even being together? Aren’t we outraged, as people who are obeying the law, to know others have just jumped the queue and are sneaking in?
No, and here is why...
I have always believed, as a descendant of immigrants who came to this country 111 years ago, that the poem inscribed on the Statue of Liberty was not just an invitation, but was an exhortation. A call to all who want a better life, a freer life. A life where your opportunities, your rights to live, worship, speak and pursue your own happiness, are greater than in any other nation on earth. It was and is, a call to come here.
I have never believed that we are a nation that kidnaps and cages children. I have never believed that we are a nation that sees our rights and opportunities as solely the prerogative of just a few. I have never believed that we are a nation that terrorizes children, for no other reason than it polls well with one party’s political base.
I have never, ever imagined this is who we are. But apparently there are people who can, and have.
Yes, we need a secure border. Yes, illegal immigration is a violation of the law. But this... the taking of children, this isn’t law enforcement. This is a grotesque, unforgivable and unimaginable violation of human rights. The likes of which we have not seen since the days when we rounded up whole families of innocent Americans and put them in camps, for the crime of... being Asian.
Donald Trump didn’t decide to do this to secure the border, or to stop some phantom threat from “MS-13” (the vast majority of whom are Americans already here, and not immigrants trying to get in). Donald Trump decided to do this, because it hurts people. Specifically, people who are not white, and hurting those people makes his base happy.
Not only did someone in the Trump White House think up such a thing, but they turned those thoughts into words, and actually then proposed such a thing, and it is Donald Trump who decided to do it.
No, and here is why...
I have always believed, as a descendant of immigrants who came to this country 111 years ago, that the poem inscribed on the Statue of Liberty was not just an invitation, but was an exhortation. A call to all who want a better life, a freer life. A life where your opportunities, your rights to live, worship, speak and pursue your own happiness, are greater than in any other nation on earth. It was and is, a call to come here.
I have never, ever imagined this is who we are. But apparently there are people who can, and have.
Yes, we need a secure border. Yes, illegal immigration is a violation of the law. But this... the taking of children, this isn’t law enforcement. This is a grotesque, unforgivable and unimaginable violation of human rights. The likes of which we have not seen since the days when we rounded up whole families of innocent Americans and put them in camps, for the crime of... being Asian.
This is not being done to enforce the law. You can enforce immigration laws without breaking up families. This is being done by Donald Trump, in our name, not to protect you and me, but simply to be cruel to people his base likes to hate.
I don’t care anymore to what extent the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. We will likely never know how that collusion impacted the 2016 election. But frankly, it doesn’t matter at this point. Donald John Trump is a rancid stain on the fabric of America that must be removed either by impeachment or by his own forced resignation. Treason, money laundering, Russian hookers, adultery, fraud, corruption, even open love for, and active support of, brutal dictators; doesn’t matter anymore. It all pales by comparison next to this. There is nothing positive Donald Trump could ever do as President, that can negate the horror of this.
If you support Donald Trump. If feel this is who we should be, then you are completely un-American. If you, like many in the Trump base, feel good about what our country is doing, then you are a sick, twisted and heartless creature, who is simply revelling in the pain of people you dislike.
If you honestly think taking someone’s child away, is a really great way to punish them, just for trying come to this country. Then there is something seriously wrong with you.
Your bigotry and malice towards others has corrupted your basic humanity.
I don’t care anymore to what extent the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. We will likely never know how that collusion impacted the 2016 election. But frankly, it doesn’t matter at this point. Donald John Trump is a rancid stain on the fabric of America that must be removed either by impeachment or by his own forced resignation. Treason, money laundering, Russian hookers, adultery, fraud, corruption, even open love for, and active support of, brutal dictators; doesn’t matter anymore. It all pales by comparison next to this. There is nothing positive Donald Trump could ever do as President, that can negate the horror of this.
If you honestly think taking someone’s child away, is a really great way to punish them, just for trying come to this country. Then there is something seriously wrong with you.
Your bigotry and malice towards others has corrupted your basic humanity.
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