Trump: Dems 'forced' family separation law on the nation

[PainIsLIfe]

Save me the whataboutism. If the Republicans wanted to fix this, they control both houses of congress and the presidency. You're going to have a hard time convincing me that the majority party has a hard time passing anything because the mean ol' minority with no power is forcing them to be a bunch of do nothing bitches. What a joke.

The difference between me and you is that I acknowledge reality instead of trying to downplay circumstances because my hot takes don't stand on their own.

Hmm, didn't the democrats have both houses and the presidency several years ago? I seem to remember them passing ACA without help of the minority party - I suppose fixing the immigration issue was too much to ask?

 

[drstrangelov]

Unfortunately for him, that won't happen. The only way he'll do that is if he uses someone in the administration as a scapegoat. Trump never admits failure, mistakes or bad ideas. Again, he's a student of Roy Cohn and it has served him well.

Personally I think they'll hurt him in other places too. Oddly I think one such place is Texas, although I doubt it'll hurt him enough to lose the state but I think it will close the margin.

Honestly I think the Eagles/super bowl whitehouse visit will hurt him more in PA than this issue.

I get that's Trump's appeal is largely superficial, so you'll see a pretty big impact just from people determining that they don't like him as much generally. For PA, that's interesting, I don't recall the extent of his support around Philly, I assumed that was where he was weakest in the state.

Where this can hurt him, I think, is that it's gonna be his word not against some other politician's word, but his word against the images of what's happened. This is what Trump says, insert his comments, this is what he means, insert footage of terrible shit happening, would be the angle I'd take with it. I'm sure the brains at the DNC will figure out a better way to approach it, but he's still pretty exposed here.

 

[PainIsLIfe]

Unfortunately for him, that won't happen. The only way he'll do that is if he uses someone in the administration as a scapegoat. Trump never admits failure, mistakes or bad ideas. Again, he's a student of Roy Cohn and it has served him well.

Personally I think they'll hurt him in other places too. Oddly I think one such place is Texas, although I doubt it'll hurt him enough to lose the state but I think it will close the margin.

Honestly I think the Eagles/super bowl whitehouse visit will hurt him more in PA than this issue.

Good assessment, but 1 day Trump decided that Obama was born in America and "closed" the issue.

 

[lfd0311]

What a POS. Your administration is the one currently spear heading this enforcement. Don't blame it on Democrats.

http://thehill.com/homenews/adminis...ms-forced-family-separation-law-on-the-nation

Your virtue signal is marked down in the annals of history. I wonder where your outrage was just two years ago?

 

[lfd0311]

The hypocrisy here is insane.

He doesn't give two shits about separating children form their families at a border. The Israelis are sniping families who are hundreds of yards from the border right now. Nikki Haley is embarrassing this nation in front of the world at the UN by going against a simple request to protect these children and families from being shot for crying out loud.

What the fuck are we supposed to do here. It's not like they are peacefully protesting on their own land. These people are flooding our country illegally. They are not even trying to claim that they wish to return to their homes.

What does this have to do with Israel you f**king psycho?

 

[lfd0311]

At least own your inherited policy.

*FIXED

 

[SMillard]

I get that's Trump's appeal is largely superficial, so you'll see a pretty big impact just from people determining that they don't like him as much generally. For PA, that's interesting, I don't recall the extent of his support around Philly, I assumed that was where he was weakest in the state.

Where this can hurt him, I think, is that it's gonna be his word not against some other politician's word, but his word against the images of what's happened. This is what Trump says, insert his comments, this is what he means, insert footage of terrible shit happening, would be the angle I'd take with it. I'm sure the brains at the DNC will figure out a better way to approach it, but he's still pretty exposed here.

I don't know, the Democrats have never ceased to amaze me in their ineptness. I thought for sure the whole "tea party' thing was going to fracture the GOP to the point that they would be the perennial 2nd place party, to a great degree that has happened but the Democrats have figured out a way to fracture themselves even greater. I do think Trump will motivate some level of unity but relying on the minority and young vote has been a exercise in disappointment for the Democrats, with the one exception being Obama with regard to minorities. I'll believe young people will do something about two weeks after they ACTUALLY do something, up until then they have proven to be the most unreliable voter base. Add to that the fact that the senior citizen population is one of the largest and strongest demographics and statistically have the strongest voter turnout I think the Democrats could still screw it up.

The PA thing was just me speaking anecdotally, having grown up in Upstate NY just over the PA border, living in the area where the Phillies have their spring training I'd almost say you'd be better off telling someone their mother is a whore than bad mouthing or insulting a Philly team.

Good assessment, but 1 day Trump decided that Obama was born in America and "closed" the issue.

Good point. You're right, he did state that Obama was born in the US, but he also tried to spin it as though that had always been his position. Then he kind of backtracked a little to his original rhetoric, much like the access Hollywood tape, first he chalked it up to "locker room talk" and gave a half hearted apology "it was a long time ago, I'm a different person now", then months later the narrative changed to "I'm not even sure that's me on the tape"

There are cases when he's had to eat a little crow (as we all do on occasion) but he has a talent for either spinning it as either a misunderstanding, someone missing out on the fact it was a joke, it was a long time ago so who cares, or just flat out "it didn't happen"

 

[lfd0311]

Save me the whataboutism. If the Republicans wanted to fix this, they control both houses of congress and the presidency. You're going to have a hard time convincing me that the majority party has a hard time passing anything because the mean ol' minority with no power is forcing them to be a bunch of do nothing bitches. What a joke.

The difference between me and you is that I acknowledge reality instead of trying to downplay circumstances because my hot takes don't stand on their own.

This is such embarrassing shit posting. Notice how this wasn't mentioned for years while there was a sitting Democrat in office, then suddenly Dems roll it out like it's a new occurence so they can hardcore virture signal in an effort to hurt Trump? This is just embarrassing all around.

 

[Falsedawn]

Hmm, didn't the democrats have both houses and the presidency several years ago? I seem to remember them passing ACA without help of the minority party - I suppose fixing the immigration issue was too much to ask?

Bull fucking shit they didn't have the help of the minority party. The minority party got input and still didn't vote for it. Any other interpretation of those events is horse shit.

 

[Falsedawn]

This is such embarrassing shit posting. Notice how this wasn't mentioned for years while there was a sitting Democrat in office, then suddenly Dems roll it out like it's a new occurence so they can hardcore virture signal in an effort to hurt Trump? This is just embarrassing all around.

So Jeff Sessions didn't change the policy?

Embarrassing indeed...on your behalf.

 

[spamking]

No, for several reasons. The main reason being there is no contractor in the United States that I would trust with a project this size.

Really? Not a single contractor?

Government contracts for constuction are notoriosly corrupt and they take years and years to complete far simpler projects like road improvements. A wall stretching across the entire southern border? Lofl, 50 years from now the contractors would be telling the government they still need more time and $ to complete it.

Yeah . . . I've worked for Uncle Sam for just over 23 years . . . not all contracts for construction are corrupt. And I never said anything about a wall stretching across the entire southern border.

This isn't even getting into the effectiveness of a wall... a wall isn't effective at all without guards to man it. And even if we forked over all that money to man the wall at effective intervals they would still tunnel under it or find ways to bypass border entrance points like they do now.

I think we both know it could be done if constructed and equipped properly . . . video surveillance and other alarm systems would enhance the effectiveness significantly in my opinion.

But I agree that it'll never happen due to the expense . . .

 

[BLIND]

I don't think people really understand that she got 3rd degree burns, on 6% of her body, and had skin grafts.

If the MSM would have ran the pictures of the burns, I think people would have been calling for criminal action against McDonalds.

Loool A testament to how stupid ppl can be.

 

[Joe]

At the same time this was happening "sanctuary cities" around the nation were resisting Trump's attempts to enforce laws that are ALREADY ON THE BOOKS.

It's difficult to sympathize with any liberal outrage, at this point, while they openly flout our own American rule of law. At least Trump waits and watches while circuit court after court shits on his poorly written proposals until he rewrites them, then waits again while they get shit on moving up to the Supreme Court that will actually ratify them.

Democrats are playing a dangerous game, here.

What game? Does the wh support this or not? I can't get a straight answer? According to the wh its awful and they don't want to do it.

This has been part of policy of the wh since the beginning.

If there's nothing wrong then why are they so embarrassed by their own policy?
Maybe cause of things like this?

 

[NC252]

What a POS. Your administration is the one currently spear heading this enforcement. Don't blame it on Democrats.

http://thehill.com/homenews/adminis...ms-forced-family-separation-law-on-the-nation

Trump is beating you guys by controlling the narrative.

 

[waiguoren]

I did not conflate asylum seekers with those apprehended crossing the border illegally, although I do suspect that both avenues are frequently abused.

You may not be conflating the issue but the policy of the administration and actions of the border patrol are.

That's just wrong. The opposite true. From the Chicago Tribune:

The Trump administration has declared a new "zero-tolerance" policy of prosecuting every immigrant arrested for illegal entry, a practice that is separating parents from their children. Asylum-seekers who turn themselves in to border inspectors usually do not face such a fate.

The article describes long lines at the southern border as people wait to apply for asylum as refugees.

You can be forgiven for this mistake. In the past few days I have noticed multiple mainstream media headlines conflating (1) those who wait at a port of entry to apply for asylum and (2) those who attempt improper entry, are apprehended, and then declare they are seeking asylum.

Is your position that asylum should be granted to any alien who declares that he is seeking asylum, even if he is apprehended on an improper entry? Why not require these people to apply at a port of entry like the thousands mentioned in the article?

The quality of your other responses was much higher than this. No law has been changed. Making an analogy involving a legislative change is not going to persuade me or any other careful reader.

No law has been changed, but policy has. Jeff Sessions came out and announced his "zero tolerance" policy yet they didn't give directive on the policy. No where did they say "we are going to jail you and prosecute you, oh and if you bring your kids with you we are going to take them away from you".

Spoiler: Sessions Zero Tolerance Directive

Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs
Attorney General Announces Zero-Tolerance Policy for Criminal Illegal Entry
April 6, 2018

Attorney General Jeff Sessions today notified all U.S. Attorney’s Offices along the Southwest Border of a new “zero-tolerance policy” for offenses under 8 U.S.C. § 1325(a), which prohibits both attempted illegal entry and illegal entry into the United States by an alien. The implementation of the Attorney General’s zero-tolerance policy comes as the Department of Homeland Security reported a 203 percent increase in illegal border crossings from March 2017 to March 2018, and a 37 percent increase from February 2018 to March 2018—the largest month-to-month increase since 2011.

“The situation at our Southwest Border is unacceptable. Congress has failed to pass effective legislation that serves the national interest—that closes dangerous loopholes and fully funds a wall along our southern border. As a result, a crisis has erupted at our Southwest Border that necessitates an escalated effort to prosecute those who choose to illegally cross our border,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “To those who wish to challenge the Trump Administration’s commitment to public safety, national security, and the rule of law, I warn you: illegally entering this country will not be rewarded, but will instead be met with the full prosecutorial powers of the Department of Justice. To the Department’s prosecutors, I urge you: promoting and enforcing the rule of law is vital to protecting a nation, its borders, and its citizens. You play a critical part in fulfilling these goals, and I thank you for your continued efforts in seeing to it that our laws—and as a result, our nation—are respected.”

On April 11, 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a renewed commitment to criminal immigration enforcement. As part of that announcement, the Attorney General issued a memorandum to all federal prosecutors and directed them to prioritize the prosecution of certain criminal immigration offenses.

Today’s zero-tolerance policy further directs each U.S. Attorney’s Office along the Southwest Border (i.e., Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, Western District of Texas, and the Southern District of Texas) to adopt a policy to prosecute all Department of Homeland Security referrals of section 1325(a) violations, to the extent practicable.

Also, starting in early May, Sessions gave multiple public statements indicating that family separation is a likely outcome of the zero-tolerance policy:

I have put in place a zero-tolerance policy for illegal entry on our southwest border. If you cross the border unlawfully, then we will prosecute you. It's that simple. If you smuggle illegal aliens across our border, then we will prosecute you. If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you and that child may be separated from you as required by law.

I see nothing ethically dubious about the executive branch of the federal government enforcing federal law as it is written. I, like Trump, also don't like the idea of separating children from their parents even for short periods. That's why I support the efforts of Jeff Sessions to reduce the backlog in the immigration courts and why I would support legislation to create a new system of detention for these criminal parents which would allow them to stay with their kids.

I have no problem with what you said here, and honestly I'd support it. My big problem though is that this is tied to a much bigger "build that wall, give us the 25 billion dollars to do it" ....now he is using this situation to force his will for something that a majority of Americans don't want and quite honestly we don't need, at least not on the scale and grandeur he has proposing. You want to improve the wall by Tijuana? Go for it, you want to build a wall along the Rio Grande or along some area out in BFE, sorry not for it.

When did Trump ever claim he would build a solid wall the entire length of the US-Mexico border? During the Republican primary race in 2015, Trump stated repeatedly that the wall would not be needed across the entire border due to natural barriers and the fact that some of the existing structures are acceptable.

TRUMP: You know, you know, the Great Wall of China is 13,000 miles. It was built 2,000 years ago. It was actually built over a long period of time, but it started 2,000 - it's a long time. So 13,000 miles. What we're talking about is 2,000 miles, but less, maybe 1,000 because you'll have a lot of territory where you don't need it. You have natural barricades, you have some walls that were built that are OK.

---Donald Trump, September 14, 2015
(Source)

If you're contesting the idea that Trump's wall proposal would be effective, then your views are at direct odds with the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC), which is border agents' union. In their 50-year history, Trump is the only presidential candidate they have ever endorsed. NBPC has consistently called for the building of Trump's southern border wall.

Your view is also at odds with that of Rodney Scott, US Customs and Border Patrol Chief Agent for the San Diego Sector:

"The reason you have a front door with a lock on it is because you believe in walls. If you didn't believe in security---if you believed in open borders, no walls and no impedance---you'd leave your doors open at night. So the concept [of the wall] is solid. There are some areas---for example, right on the border in city environments---I don't want my agents right next to a solid wall that they can't see through. People could lob rocks or molotov cocktails across it. We're being asked what we need and where we need it." March 2018 Source

 

[Philo-Publius]

It's just shameless propaganda to claim things have significantly changed since Obama's presidency. If you cross the border illegally of course you are going to be separated from your children because you have to go to a detention facility for breaking the law, and your children go to foster care. Don't cross the border illegally. People who come to a port of entry to seek asylum are not breaking the law and not being separated from their families. To claim otherwise is a lie.

 

[Philo-Publius]

Oh no, people caring about politics and trying to change bad things?

In the meantime, reports are out and they’re just as bad as feared:
https://www.apnews.com/9794de32d39d4c6f89fbefaea3780769

20 children to a cage. Lights on all day every day. Catatonic kids.

Reporters not allowed to interview anyone.

This is a travesty

Snopes and the left wing media would have you believe it's a regular "concentration camp."

I mean, what are we thinking here? Why aren't we putting these people up in a Beverly Hills home or a Marriott for God's sake? It's so embarrassing!

 

[PolishHeadlock]

 

[waiguoren]

Why focus on the Trump administration's poor messaging? That's just a distraction from the real issues.

We're seeing abnormally large numbers of unaccompanied alien minors and family units apprehended at the southern border. At current rates, we'll likely tie or break the previous record (FY 2014) of ~70,000 minors plus ~70,000 family units.

About 95% of these people are from three countries: El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Because of Democrat-sponsored, bipartisan-supported legislation (TVPRA), DHS can't return unaccompanied alien minors to their home countries or to a third country (e.g., Mexico or Canada) unless those people are originally from Mexico or Canada. So about 95% of these people get to stay in the USA.

Surely you will acknowledge that this is an absurd system.

President Trump has proposed amending TVPRA to allow repatriation of minors who are not genuine trafficking victims. Has the Democratic leadership presented any fix?

Also, because of the Flores settlement, unaccompanied alien minors are released to DHHS within 20 days of apprehension. DHHS usually places the minors with sponsors in the United States. The only data I've seen (for 2014/2015) are that 80% of the sponsors are undocumented immigrants themselves.

 

[waiguoren]

Brilliant statement by Nielsen here. Very impressed with her.

"Surely it is the beginning of the unraveling of democracy when the body that makes the laws tells the enforcement body not to enforce the law instead of changing them. I ask Congress to act this week so that we can secure our borders and uphold our humanitarian ideas. These two missions should not be pitted against each other. If we close the loopholes, we can accomplish both."

"The vast majority of children who are in the care of HHS right now---10,000 of the 12,000---were sent here alone by their parents. That's when they were separated. Somehow we've conflated everything. 10,000 of those in custody were sent here by their parents with strangers to undertake a completely dangerous and deadly travel alone. We now care for them. We have high standards."