Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Democratic Senator's Six Word Tweet Perfectly Sums Up the Horror of Donald Trump's Child Separation Policy

Accurate.

Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) had just six simple words to say when he shared the news that President Donald Trump's administration has no way to track migrant children who've been separated from their parents: "This is what evil looks like."


Merkley was responding to an update from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that the Trump administration did not dispute a report that there "may have been thousands more separated kids" than originally reported.

The ACLU, in addition to condemning the administration, announced that a court date has been scheduled for February 21.

The news stunned many who concurred with Merkley's sentiments and amplified calls for the president's impeachment and removal from office.

Merkley has previously spoken out against the Trump administration on the issue of family separation. On Friday, he announced that he would bring Albertina Contreras Teletor and her 11-year-old daughter, Yakelin Garcia Contreras, who were separated for two months after attempting to cross the U.S-.Mexico border, as his guests to the president's State of the Union address.

“This child separation policy came from a dark and evil place within the heart of this administration,” Merkley said in a statement. He added:

“I’m bringing Albertina and Yakelin as my guests to the State of the Union because we need to bear witness to the suffering that this cruel policy inflicted, and resolve to make sure that nothing like this ever happens in the United States of America again.”

President Trump's "zero tolerance" family separations policy, which allowed migrant children to be separated from their parents, was implemented by Jeff Sessions, the former Attorney General.

Following a week of heavy bipartisan opposition the following month, the president signed an executive order halting the policy.

“It’s about keeping families together while ensuring we have a powerful border,” Trump said of the order. He added: “I didn’t like the sight of families being separated.”

https://www.facebook.com/ktvu/videos/1821528127895726/

The president had previously admitted that his administration’s policy of separating families was a negotiating tool to get Democrats to cave to his demands (which include tougher border security as well as a wall erected along the nation’s southern border).

The tipping point for the end of the short-lived family separations policy appeared to be an Associated Press report confirming that the Trump administration will be operating at least three “tender age” shelters in South Texas for migrant babies and toddlers.

The report details government plans to open a fourth shelter to house hundreds of young migrant children in Houston, a move which earned harsh rebukes from city leaders. Lawyers and medical providers who have visited these shelters described scenes of migrant children in crisis, many of them crying out for their families.

The day before the Associated Press report dropped, an audio clip obtained by ProPublica garnered significant attention for revealing the sounds of detained children sobbing for their parents. At one point, a Border Patrol agent jokes, “We have an orchestra here.”

Medical professionals have also spoken out about the "irreparable harm" to separated migrant children, warning of the effects "toxic stress" can have on a child's brain development and long-term health.

More from People/donald-trump

A man sitting opposite a woman at a desk.
a man sitting at a desk talking to a woman
Photo by Mina Rad on Unsplash

The Dumbest Questions Ever Asked In A Job Interview

When entering a job interview, we are always concerned that we won't make the right impression on the one conducting the interview.

Leading us to go over and over in our heads the things we need to make sure to say, and what to avoid at all costs.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jim Jordan
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Jim Jordan Slammed After Urging Trump To Move The 2028 L.A. Olympics To A 'Red City'

Republican Ohio Representative Jim Jordan expressed being on board with conservatives lobbying for the 2028 Olympics to be removed from the planned hosting city of Los Angeles to a "red city."

Many conservatives cited Southern California's alleged mismanagement of the active wildfire crisis still plaguing much of the area due to dry vegetation and powerful wind gusts that spread the blazes, devastating nearly 40,000 acres and destroying 12,000 structures.

Keep ReadingShow less
Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell; TikToker @madisonpeltzer
Michael Owens/Getty Images, @madisonpeltzer/TikTok

Massive 6-Month-Old Baby Goes Viral After Detroit Lions Hilariously Call 'Dibs' On Him

Who knew Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell was in the market for scouting giant babies?

We wouldn't blame him, considering the Lions have offensive tackle Dan Skipper, who towers at 6'10, the tallest active player in the NFL.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden
C-SPAN

Biden Perfectly Shuts Down Reporter Who Asked If Trump Should Get Credit For Gaza Deal

After delivering his remarks to reporters about the brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, President Joe Biden shut down one journalist who asked if President-elect Donald Trump—who played no role in the negotiations—should get credit for the deal.

A ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas, bringing a potential end to 15 months of devastating conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives in the Gaza Strip, left Israeli hostages in limbo, and reshaped the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.

Keep ReadingShow less
Margaret Qualley
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic/GettyImages

Margaret Qualley Reveals It Took A Year To Recover From Acne Caused By 'The Substance' Prosthetics

Actor Margaret Qualley opened up about the consequences of repeatedly applying facial prosthetic pieces to prepare for scenes in the body horror thriller The Substance.

The film, written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, follows aerobics star Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) who has aged out of the business and subsequently takes the titular black market serum that generates a younger version of herself named Sue (Qualley) and experiences a career revitalization.

Keep ReadingShow less