Donald Trump told reporters on Friday, when asked about separating migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border: “I hate the children being taken away. The Democrats have to change their law. That’s their law.”
No, it’s not. No law mandates separating families.
The administration’s current policy was announced April 6 and went into effect in May. As reported by the Associated Press: “From April 19 to May 31, 1,995 children were separated from 1,940 adults, according to Homeland Security statistics.”
Because of the policy, more adults have been jailed and more children have been shipped elsewhere. Previously, people who entered the country illegally and had no criminal record were detained or referred for deportation, and mothers and children usually remained together.
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