Trump Delays Deportations, Border Kids Crisis Reaches Boiling Point Without Aid from Congress
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President Trump is delaying his order to begin deporting mass numbers of people living in the US illegally.
He said he is giving Democrats in the House of Representatives two weeks to overhaul the nation's asylum laws.
At the request of Democrats, I have delayed the Illegal Immigration Removal Process (Deportation) for two weeks to see if the Democrats and Republicans can get together and work out a solution to the Asylum and Loophole problems at the Southern Border. If not, Deportations start!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2019
Trump announced the deportations last week but put them on hold after a phone call from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
Pelosi released a statement urging the president to cease the planned immigration raids. "It is my hope that before Sunday, leaders of the faith-based community and other organizations that respect the dignity and worth of people will call upon the President to stop this brutal action which will tear families apart and inject terror into our communities," she said.
The president tweeted on Sunday:
"I want to give the Democrats every last chance to quickly negotiate simple changes to asylum and loopholes."
I want to give the Democrats every last chance to quickly negotiate simple changes to Asylum and Loopholes. This will fix the Southern Border, together with the help that Mexico is now giving us. Probably won’t happen, but worth a try. Two weeks and big Deportation begins.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 23, 2019
Fox News reports that John Sanders with US Customs and Border Patrol asked Congress to provide $4.5 billion in funding to deal with the record number of families and unaccompanied minors crossing the border.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) explained the humanitarian crisis at the border and why Trump has requested the $4.5 billion, saying Congress just hasn't done enough to help.
"Hundreds of thousands of people have come north to the border. Border Patrol detains them and takes them to a temporary central processing center. They are overloaded right now, the conditions are not great. It's not Border Patrol's fault. They do not have the resources," he said.
He says the kids should be transferred from the processing centers to the Health and Human Services Department (HHS). "These facilities are much different. They offer more resources, education and space for kids to sleep. That is where we are supposed to send kids. The $4.5 billion that the president has requested is for HHS so they can continue operations and so kids don't have to stay in bad conditions," he concluded.
There's 100's of reports of mistreatment of migrant children at the border, it's been all over the news recently. You want to know why? CONGRESS will not grant the @POTUS the $4.5 Billion in aid he asked for. NOW THEY BLAME TRUMP FOR KIDS doing without. pic.twitter.com/Yn5zrTZ32U
— (@Justsaytruthnow) June 23, 2019
The conditions inside the border detention facilities have been described as terrible, with poor sanitary measures and sickness among the migrant children. Critics say infants, children, and teenagers are living without adequate food and clothing.
The Associated Press reports that Attorney Toby Gialluca spoke to children at a border station in McAllen, Texas. Many of the sick children had high fevers and were coughing. He said their clothing was soiled with crusty mucus and dirt.
"Everyone is sick. Everyone. They're using their clothes to wipe mucus off the children, wipe vomit off the children. Most of the little children are not fully clothed," Gialluca said.
Children under the age of 10 are reportedly taking care of babies, and teenage girls are required to look after multiple kids at one time.
Democrat Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR) said the Department of Homeland Security needs to fix the problem by July 12, tweeting: "Children are being held in appalling and unacceptable conditions."
But Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Congress hasn't done its part, calling them "a group of reprobates."
"Every child who is not being taken care of adequately at the border, Congress is an accomplice to any harm they suffer," Abbott said.
Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) said the tragic situation "further demonstrates the immediate need to reform asylum laws and provide supplemental funding to address the humanitarian crisis at our border."
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