An average of 65 children are being ripped from their parents at the border every day. As the Trump Administration enacts its “zero-tolerance” policy of separating families in an effort to deter immigrants from heading to the United States, it may end up separating as many as 30,000 kids from their moms and dads by August. What’s even more disconcerting is that once the young immigrants are taken from their guardians, they may never be reunited. Recent comments by John Sandweg, the former head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the Obama Administration, contradict the White House statement that separation is only temporary.
“Permanent separation. It happens,” Sandweg told NBC News. “…Parents end up on one track. The child ends up on another track. If they don’t reunite these kids with their parents right away, what can happen is the kids will be stuck here in the United States for years. Guardians will be appointed, and the parent will be down in Honduras or Guatemala with no idea where their child is and no meaningful way to reunite.”
Sandweg added that this is why President Barack Obama (who also did a lot of damage to immigrant communities) stressed family unity. With the numbers of families crossing ticking up, [the] Obama administration was concerned about children being left behind,” Sandweg said.
Watch the full interview here.