This has gone on long enough. The Trump Administration has been separating parents from their children because they have chosen to criminally prosecute refugees who are applying for asylum. This policy has created outrage from all living former first ladies, including Mrs. Bush, Mrs. Carter, and Mrs. Clinton. Even Melania Trump has spoken and advocates for “a country that governs with heart.” It violates U.S. and International law. Numerous Congressmen, Republicans and Democrats alike, protest a policy which can cause young children serious psychological damage. This is in sharp contrast to Secretary of Homeland Security Nielsen, who claims the children are “well taken care of.” Listening to tapes of children crying, “Mommy, Mommy,” contradicts Nielsen’s glib comments.
According to Steve Miller, senior advisor to the President, this policy is designed to put pressure on members of Congress reluctant to grant the Administration a legislative victory on immigration. It’s also hoped it will deter refugees from seeking asylum, although this has not worked in the past. The Administration just does not consider the harm being done to the children in the name of political leverage.
This is all so unnecessary. Both the Bush and the Obama Administrations provided facilities for families seeking asylum. Applying for asylum is not a criminal act, and in the past families were not prosecuted when they turned themselves into the Border Patrol. Because they were not viewed as criminals, families were allowed to stay together. Under the Trump Administration, families seeking asylum are criminally prosecuted, giving the Administration a legal excuse to separate families. As a result, over 2,300 children have been separated from their parents during April and May, many times more than in either the Obama or Bush administrations.
Amid the cries of outrage at Trump’s shameful policy, our very own Congressman Andy Harris has said – nothing. By telephone, his office said they were not qualified to answer a question on a complex issue such as immigration and referred me to Harris’ website. The website is silent on the subject of children being taken from their mothers. It is clear that Harris, along with many Republicans in Congress, simply does not have the guts to stand up to an immoral President. Please contact Harris and let him know what you think. I hope we can replace Harris with someone with more backbone in November.
Carl Widell
St. Michaels
Where is Andy Harris on the Border Crisis?
I have a better question.
Where is Andy Harris?
Also wondering why we have heard nothing from Mr. Harris about environmental issues directly affecting Maryland’s incredible waterways! Proposals to cut funding for continued upgrading for the health of the Chesapeake Bay region have generated no comment from Mr. Harris. To quote someone infamous: “sad.”
Excellent points, thank you. Andy Harris needs to go…let’s make our voices heard and vote him out!
He and many other Republican lawmakers from Maryland were speaking quite loudly by saying NOTHING !! They value their positions above their humanitarianism. Pretty scary !!! Thank God Larry Hogan couldn’t stomach it, hope rises eternal ! Well guess what “quiet Republicans”,WE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR , even above the wails of traumatized children and families who actually believed the United States was better than from where they left. And guess what, many will remember your complicity forEVER. Maybe you will retain your positions in coming elections but you will also retain the smell of rotten souls.
I called Dr. Harris’s office about a week ago leaving my name and phone number. Nothing heard.