Government regularly drops the ball on providing soap. My union had to put a weekly bar of soap into our collective-bargaining contract.
9
There will now be a cacophony of scapegoating, blame-casting, “what-aboutism,” stereotyping, pleas of ignorance and equivocating. But this uncaring, brutal behaviour toward innocent and defenceless children — babies, for heaven’s sake — is totally on the United States of America. Wear it. Do something about it rather than handwringing, making excuses and blaming it on “them,” whoever “they” conveniently happen to be.
212
It is heart wrenching to hear the stories of these children, all who will carry trauma from living at that filthy place. This is really a crime against these children, who deserve care, love and basic meals and good sleep. This deprivation they had to experience will cause the U.S to pay reparations to them as they mature and realize how they have been abused. Any child in a home would have been removed long ago. The government is the perpetrator and should be tried as such. There are many organizations that would have loved to help.
173
Why are we not seeing videos of these camps at the top of our TV news on a daily basis? I don't expect anything decent from Republicans anymore, but why are our Democratic elected officials not standing at the gates demanding access to these concentration camps, with TV crews in tow?
54
This is evil, pure evil. Why don't we take some money from our inflated military budget and care for these children.
The judges, apparently, were human beings. The lawyers arguing against soap, etc. were not.
I thought Trump had been ordered to return separated children and stop separating them. What a lawless, heartless land this country called the United States is.
50
Do you know how there is an association between individual human beings who abuse non-human animals and individual human beings who commit violent crimes against other humans? Maybe the same is true at a societal level. Our country has been raising chickens, cows, and pigs in cruel conditions for decades on factory farms -- now the callousness we show these other species has spread (once again) to our own.
20
These are also the disappeared (the desaparecidos). No one knows how many have died or where thousands of children, and babies are or have been sent. These are concentration camps from our history, here again. We're allowing this by not tearing down the walls, rescuing the children and their families, caring for them, trying to heal their traumas.
Before Nazi Germany there were concentration camps:
--The Long Walk: About 9,000 Dine' (Navajo) survived a forced march to a concentration camp in southwestern New Mexico.
--African enslavement, including "prisons" and hulls of slave ships that were concentration camps.
--about 30 million indigenous peoples in western hemisphere; 5.2 million today.
--WW II: ~130,000 Japanese Americans in concentration camps
--Segregation and Jim Crow
--Forced taking of indigenous children from their parents, with the stated intention: "kill the Indian, save the man."
--U.S. complicity in the Shoah (Holocaust), via 1924 Immigration Act denying entry to refugees to maintain "homogeneity" of US population: Six million Jews (1.5 million children) murdered, along with anyone considered "other": anti-Nazi, Roma, disabled, homosexual. Britain also complicit--violating their Mandate and closing the doors of Israel to anyone trying to flee.
Only nonviolent civil resistance by the masses will free these prisoners, and together with the courts and the good people of this country, reunite them, help heal them, and end this horrific cruelty.
27
Maybe we need to call in the UN. We've clearly lost the ability to manage our own affairs in this area.
50
It does not matter what your actual political views on immigration (legal vs illegal are); this is horrifying regardless.
In denying their humanity, we betray our own.
292
I have a legitimate question. If I rented a Uhaul, and organized a huge donation of hygiene items and blankets and such, and drove it down there myself, would it be accepted? Who could I contact to arrange a donation? I am just sick over this.
57
Where are the animal rights activists? If they heard of these conditions for dogs or cats they’d be lining up with food, clothing, soap, and foster homes.
31
Monstrous. Only monsters without a shred of self-awareness could perpetrate such a system. I'm sick.
33
I sincerely don't think we'd do this to "white" mothers and children. I'm ashamed.
We must get rid of the administration that has our nation doing such things. They were elected by a minority, but their actions reflect on all of us.
41
If the Trump administration will do this to foreigners on US soil and defend it in public court, imagine what they do to prisoners in foreign lands--then imagine what they will do to US citizens whom they despise if they are given a chance. Is this what Cheney called the dark side?
26
They fight AOC over hairline semantics of the use of the word “concentration camp” but still do nothing to bring conditions to these children to humanitarian levels.
The government had no right to separate children from their adult caretakers and put them in these conditions.
If only AOC were 35 years of age, the legal age to become POTUS.
18
I used to investigate child abuse and neglect cases for over 10 years. Under the conditions described in this article, my County would have had the absolute authority to remove these children from those conditions and put them in foster care and no judge in his or right mind would have reversed such a decision.
48
Shame, shame, shame on the Republican Party
29
@Alexandre, and the Democrats! None of these so-called public servants is doing enough for these refugees, either short-term or for longer-term solutions. In addition to more funds needed right now, we also need immigration and asylum reform so everyone knows what the parameters are and what can be done and what cannot. It is unthinkable that our government, both the chief executive and other branches, has come to this kind of situation. It is shameful and disgusting.
20
It sounds like a POW camp. Has the UN condemned the USA yet?
30
For the price of one of those drones that had no business flying over Iran, that could buy a lot of food, clean clothes, and soap.
49
When I hear from the reasons why this is happening from the Republicans it is the fault of the parents for bring the children here, smugglers, Democrats, Obama’s policy’s, or fill in the blank for any other reason to to continue to abuse these innocent children. Never is it the fault of this administration or anything to do remotely connected with Trump.
When asked how to solve this crisis the answer is always back to if only the democrats would do this or Obama started it, so what can we do.
For the Republicans it is not a crisis, it is an opportunity to abuse brown people! It is irrelevant how young they are. So what if a couple of them have already died. If Trump and his party saw these youngsters as equal to blond youngsters this crisis would have been finished in one hour by an executive action!
37
The number of children and the number of days they have been incarcerated in these atrocious camps needs to be a banner headline on the front page of the NYT until the number is zero. Way down the article list on the ‘US’ page is not acceptable. Compassion fatigue for these children in not an option.
45
I wonder if Justice Department lawyer , Sarah Fabian,used soap and a toothbrush this morning when she prepared herself to "meet the faces that she would meet" . No physically malodorous body odor emanated from her as she pursued her cruel agenda of denying these products to innocent young children held in squalid conditions.
Beware, Ms. Fabian, there is no cleansing agent that can dilute the stench of inhumane behavior.
54
If the First Lady, Melania Trump, is serious about her Be Best campaign, she should visit these detention centers and refuse to leave until her husband delivers sufficient aid to these children.
I'd like to think the First Family would understand that puppy mills have closed for lesser horrors than these children currently endure. Perhaps if they had a pet?
33
@JR
That’s asking a lot from miss “I really don’t care do you”.
17
Trump is a germaphobe who allows the children in detention at boarder facilities to live in fetid conditions.
Trump is evil!
28
This will go to the annals of history exactly like that:
‘There Is a Stench’: No Soap and Overcrowding in Detention Centers for Migrant Children
If this is not the bottom of the pit, I don't know what is.
To think that few evil people could change the image of this country in a snap of their finger...
Leaves me speechless!
As the song goes "Don't know much about history, don't know much about biology"
Depressing.
21
The United Nations should be aiding these refugees - it is a costly endeavor and they have the supplies, tent cities, food, medicine AND MANDATE to help global refugees and asylum seekers.
Frankly, the UN already should have provided centers in Mexico, the large first country the refugees entered 100s of miles before aiming for America.
14
Just imagine the cost savings if having them pay a modest fee for documentation and a work visa. Good luck, see you later.
Oh wait. We would be making money and could cut massive costs. We would have more tax payers paying in and so on without the need of this hostile agenda to cause suffering. Because that is what they want, to cause suffering no matter the cost.
14
Disgusting metaphor of the trump presidency, dirty filthy children held in cages guarded by full uniformed boarder patrol. This is what trump is doing to America.
This is all being done while GOP lawmakers remain silent. We must punish all GOP in November 2020.
27
Cruelty is the benchmark of any Trump administration action.
Cruelty is the reason.
Cruelty is the point.
Trump created this by making applying for asylum a crime.
And to think evangelicals support him.
America is better than this.
Vote Democratic in 2020.
40
The Red Cross must be allowed in to these facilities to assess conditions and provide help. Delegations from Congress must demand access and inspect on behalf of their constituents.
If groups of activists could mobilize a tent city and demonstrations over a pipeline recently, where are they now over this obvious issue of inhumane and cruel treatment at our southern border?
Why not a sustained march on Washington to demand that congress and the president reach accommodation over immigration and asylum law reform. Government may indeed be in the pocket of big money interests but how long could it resist a massive display of “people power”? Long overdue, I say.
145
@Christopher Jones
Better make that the International Red Cross.
42
@Christopher Jones
And United Nations. They help refugees. And Obama paid our billions in arrears after 6+ U.S. presidents withheld it for corruption.
26
@Catherine Stock You are so right! Remember how the American Red Cross responded to Katrina and the Haiti Crisis.
20
@Raul Campos,
Clearly you are unaware of how government works, the democrats have been in the minority for over 10 years, until this past midterm elections. The democrats had no say AT ALL in either side of congress, so they couldn’t write open border legislation even if that’s what they believed in. But again your sadly mistaken, no democrat has ever said we want open borders, that’s a republican lie.
The Republican Party is the only body in congress that could write and pass comprehensive immigration reform, but they don’t want that. Why, because they need supporters just like you, that clearly have no understanding of what Party has been in control of congress. The democrats have always provided funding for border security, just not for a wall, a wall needs towers, and armed guards, lots of costly maintenance, there’s better ways to secure a border without a 20 billion dollar wall.
You need to stop watching Fox News (if you can actually call it News) and educate yourself. At the rate Trump is going if I were you I’d change my name or you might accidentally wind up outside the US.
20
Clint is being evacuated as I write this but no information as to where the children will be relocated or if the conditions will be any better.
8
Think. Why are the living conditions of these detained children and their asylum-/economic-seeking guardians -- SINGULARLY -- the concern of a Elora Mukherjee (director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School) or of these other visiting advocates? Where's the Governor?
The standing-room-only confinement, the repetitive non-nourishing meals, the 24-hour lighting, the institutional minimalism of foil blankets to combat these federal jails' intentionally subduing cold, the growing risk of viral / bacterial infections, the simple understanding that children need bathed and comforted... those instances / endemic conditions are clearly unacceptable. Yet...
The Governor of Texas has zero concerns about additional documented failures of Trump's confinements. Greg Abbott's only response is POLITICAL DEFLECTION.
Gov. Abbott announces 1000 more national guard to keep his base's FEARS front and center. He calls Congress "reprobates", when Republicans held the Executive, the House, and the Senate for 2 years.
Every day, MORE voters reject the racially charged, Republican reforms of speaks-English / has-money preconditions, of no family member migration, and of Dreamers can self-deport themselves.
When Republican officeholders, like Greg Abbott, deny their party's legislative failure and obfuscate the President's ultimate responsibility for correcting abysmal treatment, THEY DO THEIR PARTY HARM. Wake-up already.
13
The dirty, nasty secrets we keep locked away will get out - they always do. It just takes one cellphone's camera, one quick video to get Americans' attention. How can the guards live with themselves, seeing conditions like these described day after day? We treat serial killers and rapists better than we treat these children, and yet where is the outrage? Pro-lifers are more concerned with fetal tissue stem cells than they are with living, breathing children being kept in fetid, secret conditions.
Doesn't this fall under the Geneva Convention? Shouldn't the US be sanctioned by the UN? How can Congress continue to fail to act? We MUST find out where these children are, we MUST do something to at least provide a modicum of care for them. These kids cannot wait until 2020. They cannot wait until next week.
I expected bad things with this administration - but not this horror. So the 9th Circuit was outraged - what did they do? Did they order our feckless government to do anything?
39
"the lawyers encountered a 17-year-old mother from Guatemala who couldn’t stand because of complications from an emergency C-section, and who was caring for a sick and dirty premature baby."
In any other civilized country both the mother and child would be in the hospital. What is wrong with this people?
Always vote, both in general elections, midterms, local elections, etc. Make sure that decent human beings are occupying every important post. When we do not, monsters do so instead.
41
Congress is a group of reprobate for not addressing or finding the crisis on the border.
1
Why are there no outraged Texans holding their state government officials accountable? This is not only a federal white house administration failure. Where is Ivanka on this, a special federal employee? Where is Congress and Senate Leader and House Speaker?
9
Why isn’t the NYT putting this on the front page? This absolutely horrible treatment of children by the government and there should be outrage until it’s addressed.
26
@MS
That's right, should be front and center as a leading story in every newspaper, especially with their problematic search issue, took me few minutes to find it, even google didn't help.
We have to face this national shame every minute of the day, and never forget what they have done to our country, so we can face our offsprings and tell them,
Never Again!!!
13
Congress is responsible for this because they hold the federal purse strings & refuse to allocate any resources for the CBP for processing. The Democrats are hoping to score political points with this crisis at the Border & they exploit the asylum laws.
10
Who’s exploiting asylum laws, you should know what your talking about BEFORE you say something totally untrue. It’s legal for asylum seekers to come to the US Border and ask for asylum. It’s incumbent on the government to have the facilities, including court rooms, judges, etc. all the infrastructure you’d need to process asylum claims.
Not to mention, if you don’t address the core problem in those South American countries migrants are fleeing, that too had the finger prints of the US all over it. And I have some shocking news for you, the Republican Party has been in control of congress the last four cycles, so if there is no comprehensive immigration reform, it’s all the republicans, since they made sure the democrats had ZERO say in legislation. So I’d blame is to be laid, it right at the feet of Mitch and company.
19
Re: "...A border station in Clint, Tex., where hundreds of migrant children are being held..."
Yesterday, i watched a, ('9th circuit apples'?), judge ask a U.S. .Gov lawyer if SHE thought it was OK to withhold soap / clean sheets / adequate adult supervision / basic cleanliness from refugee children...
Watching this grotesque lawyer squirm / go back and forth like a rookie fighter pilot in the red baron's sights...trying to explain her personal and professional views...did my heart good!
20
The court should reconvene at the site with the government lawyers and remind them their oath as lawyers admitted to the bar that they are officers of the court. Then ask them if they should be disbarred for their actions?
9
How can our government allow these horrible conditions? What if these were their children? Such an embarrassment. We must all pray for these children. And for the lawyers who enable! Congress--step up!
11
Those children--As well as the guards!!--are going to have PTSD for life.
9
I think it's time for this president and his administration to visit some of these detention camps with a full camera crew with a week's notice to document the truth - the film crews from the NYT, Wash Post, CNN, NBC, Fox - they should all camp out for a week or two prior to Trump's visit collecting film of what is going on. Then when Trump visits in his golf clothes - with his "I don't care do you" wife in her stiletto's - should be filmed walking through the camps where hundreds of children are being left in filth and abuse - throwing paper towels to them. Of course we all know that will never happen.
24
....and we dare to lecture other countries?
15
That’s rich isn’t it, when we have the gall to tell another country about human rights violations.
15
Trump supporters, can you look up from FOX for a moment and answer a question for me? It's a hypothetical, but not really:
As we speak, a city of 5 million people in India have lost both their water sources to climate change drought, and getting desperate. Closer to home, the Great Salt Lake is drying up, and Utah is gonna run out of water. Millions and millions of people are going to have to decide to where they might migrate to survive. What would you suggest should be our plan?
No matter how much trump supporters make their church lady faces and wag their fingers about refugees as careless parents, it doesn't stop desperation. They love the corruption that trump displays; short term profit over long term stability, but they are not thinking about how unworkable is this divisive position. Will Americans in redstate Texas build a wall against Utah refugees? Will trump supporters suddenly find that California isn't the hellhole they pretended? Oregon looks pretty good when YOUR baby can't breathe the polluted air in LA (roll back those EPA and emmission standards, dearleader!) Will conservative Florida sprout armed militias to patrol neighborhoods to keep out liberals from Minnesota? Do you put ANY thought into this, or just hate on liberals?
When we have a non-war opportunity to pull together in compassion, trump and his adoring, chanting base seek division and tribal white nationalism. Turns out, destroying America's values wasn't that hard, huh? So so sad.
19
Now that you mention it, there is an underground aquifer under five midwestern states, outside of Dodge City Kansas, the well’s that people’s get their domestic drinking water from, is drying up, and those people aren’t connected to a city water source, meaning, the underground aquifer is being drained, more is being taken out than nature can replace. People around farms their well water is now so polluted with nitrates from fertilizer, that farmers have been using in copious amounts since that regulation was rolled back.
The earth is sending signals, and the republicans are pretending that climate change isn’t happening, or that man isn’t causing it that climate change has happened in the past. Yes it did, but it happened over a long period of time, which allows animals, nature, and humans to adapt, we call that evolution.....
8
Make no mistake, these horrific acts are being committed in all our names. We chose this administration, we pay for his atrocities, and we choose not to exercise our prerogative to stop him. There were no good Germans, there are no good Americans.
13
@Patriot
How do you suppose we stop him? Storm the WH with pitch forks?
1
Good idea. Where is the Fox news coverage on all of this?
6
This must be a violation of human rights. When will this corrupt administration be taken to task for their crimes. This country is a disgrace.
13
Who do we contact to help?
How much could it possibly cost to give these kids soap, diapers and some decent blankets?
11
Given the number held, thousands of dollars, maybe a go fund me account linked to the group that aids migrants. But I’m sure that the government wouldn’t let us provide soap, toothpaste, compassion, since there might be a hack saw or file in it that might allow some migrants to escape.
11
for all the people crying shame and stating this is similar to war crimes in WW II- you know why the country is not in uproar, right? Because these children are brown skinned... if they were majority white... it would be a different ball game...
18
You are EXACTLY CORRECT. Same idea when Aids first started to show up, as long as it stayed in the gay community, people were fine with no caring whether a cure was found. Until the first straight white person got AIDS, them another, then suddenly government money poured into research.
7
Yes, this is what Trump governance looks like: confining innocent children to squalor, keeping them underfed, cold, and untended. Is this the U.S. strategy for dealing with immigration? Imprison the children and treat them with less accommodation than prisoners of war?
18
Some here have requested ways to help: 1) give donation to GoFundMe page, Nat O'Reilly in Forth Worth, currently at $3,086 to raise money to buy paper products, toothbrushes, etc; 2) Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Service 3) Momastery, funds for legal advocacy for mothers and children. Clearly a paucity of helping organizations but hope that others here are more resourceful than I am and can tweet out pitch for help as well post resources here.
8
I was unable to find Nat's GoFundMe page
1
I would like to know who these people are that work at theses centers? Do they have families that they go home to each night? Do yo feed their children good food and do they provide them a bed with pillow and blanket and the do they kiss them good night? If they do all of that, then how can they report to work the next morning and mistreat these innocent children? Why would anyone continue working for a government that treats other humans in this manner? Who are we really anymore? If this government is so happy to mistreat these children, don't think for a minute that they will do the same to us....oh wait, they already have by not allowing disaster relief funds to fellow Americans hurt by the fires, floods and hurricanes.
12
This is and always has been the face of the Republican Party, what’s really odd, is that they were once part of the “Wigs” which was a progressive conservative Republican Party, the Tories were the real conservatives religious and otherwise. The party of Lincoln was progressive, clear up through Teddy Roosevelt, somewhere something went horrible wrong with the Republican Party.
7
I'm looking for any information as to whether individuals are allowed to send supplies to these children's detention centers. Have found nothing online so far. There's a wealth of information pertaining to how to donate or help immigrants who are not longer being held in detention. In the meantime, there must be some way to help those who are.
8
Addition to the list of non profits helping here: Onward Together.org, invites contributions to be split across 11 organizations working toward immediate justice for immigrant families.
3
There are two kinds of people in the U.S. --those who are ok with these horrible concentration camps and who continue to support Trump, and those of us who have compassion and will not. Many liberals like to think that we should avoid this sort of "us and them thinking" but we need to know who our enemies are and understand how they think.
Politicians scrounge for votes by claiming that we are all Americans working together but that creates a false sense of common purpose. We happen to all be within certain geographical boundaries, but that is incidental to who we really are. And although some Trump supporters are just badly informed, most of them are fundamentally different from Trump despisers. We are in a cultural war between good and evil. We should be aware of all the ways in which evil is winning lately and fight harder.
6
@caitlindickerson @newyorktimes Please let your readers know what we can do to help...both with financial needs and material goods. These horrible conditions have to stop and if the DJT government can't show mercy, our citizens can.
3
@It's About Time -- see the info and links provided here -- http://stories.brightest.io/best-ways-stop-ice-detention-immigrant-children/?fbclid=IwAR1mLA6tJCGJEPsA8D9Kuz2xp86flnwmHHiwdlg4pT2jJQebwHgI_amCQns
1
Ask any state child welfare commissioner and he/she will tell you that these children are in our (US Government's) CARE not custody. We (acting through our government) have a duty of care for these children. Crime fighting organizations don't have the organizational mind set, proper staffing and resources to do a proper job. Care should be the province of folks that are expert in the field. And exactly who is responsible for this malfeasance...?
10
Hey Europe, Canada, Japan, Australia and the rest of the free world, at least that of it with a conscience: How about applying some tough economic sanctions to a rogue nation until it can stop such wanton abuse of basic human rights?
21
Australia is just as bad. Their illegal-immigrant camps are a matter of national security and therefore nobody is permitted to talk about it. see news in just the last couple of weeks regarding press freedom.
1
This story is sad and I feel for the kids - but they shouldn't be here in the first place. They came here illegally - so they should be deported. They don't need to be held - they need to be sent back . So many people now are taking advantage of our country's weak asylum laws the laws that don't allow deporting minors from non-contiguous countries.
Congress needs to change the laws.
8
@Truth Sayer maybe they shouldn't have been separated from their families then. And even you believe the asylum laws should be changed, they are the law now and should be followed humanely.
5
In the meantime, should we allow the inhumane conditions to continue? We have separated these families and placed these children in jeopardy. Regardless of the blame, these kids need help, soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes now.
10
@Susan,
It’s clear from his posting that he’s unaware of how asylum laws work. You can’t abuse asylum laws, if this administration would set up the infrastructure to process asylum requests they could start to move those back to their countries or grant asylum. Nevertheless, it takes Judges, lawyers, etc. to make that happen at a faster clip, oh and a 35 day government shut down didn’t help either, another gift of the Republican Party.
10
This is beyond bad. For the wealthiest nation on the face of the earth to countenance such inhumane treatment of children is beyond reprehensible. I don't know what the solution might be, but I do know that Mr. Trump and his enablers in the Senate and the Executive Branch had best stop blaming Mr. Obama and the Democrats and start dealing with this problem. A good start would be to take the Government's credit cards to the nearest Wal- Mart and buy some sanitary supplies for these poor kids. In fact, the Wal-Marts of this world should simply gather what is needed and send the materiel to the border along with camera crews to document their efforts. Proctor and Gamble should send thieir Tide portable laundries to the same places, also accompanied by camera crews. Think of the positive press such efforts would provide the participating companies.
In the wake of WWII, the excuses that "...we didn't know...", or "we were just following orders..." that were offered by 'Good Germans' in answer to their failure to act in a humane manner were rightfully scorned by the Nuremberg Proceedings chaired by Mr. Justice Robert Jackson, et. al. Ms. Sarah Fabian and her fellow travelers will sit in judgement before the Lord and will be judged harshly.
8
I’m sitting in air conditioning, in a good neighborhood, wondering how bad conditions would have to be to motivate me to put everything I could carry in a backpack, pick up one child and grab another by the hand, then walk 2000 miles through hostile territory to a country that didn’t want me and that I knew was going to take my kids and put them and me in separate jails, with the possibility that we would never see each other again. I find I can’t imagine...
11
Most of us can’t, and those who have had to do that before, during WWII, the ones that could tell us how bad it can get, and the lengths people will go to. Most whites don’t think of themselves as an immigrant, but if they looked back into their family history, they would find that they themselves are the grandchildren, the great grandchildren of immigrants. My grandmother is from Scotland, she was brought over to Canada in 1907, my mother was born in Canada, my family had a lumber mill in Vancouver, my grandmother immigrated with her husband and my mother and my aunt, in 1936. My family retained our dual citizenship, my mother is 85 now, and why they left Canada I’ve never been able to find out, when she passes away, I plan on moving back to Canada......
1
The policy of separating children from their parents or families at the border is driven by the Racism of Trump and his administration. Their is no reason for it other than that, and it is the same as the children being kidnapped, the original intention for ransom to build a "wall", but now just kidnapping for cruelty as there has been no intention of returning them to their families. This is a Crime Against Humanity being perpetrated by our government, and those responsible--Trump, Sessions, Nielsen and their successors carrying out this policy now--should be charged in an International Court.
Perhaps without the efforts of Senator Murphy, we would not even been aware of this. It suggests that there may be other diabolical policies this Administration is pursuing. On intending to continue to break the law to accept foreign election aid, we might not have known of this without recent questioning in an interview of Trump, and there are still others who may be charged from the last election, Trump himself hiding behind Barr and a Justice Department "memo". Election fraud is what brought us to the present situation, and States have in place a way to void such elections, but apparently not the Federal government, the Constitution still being riddled with pro-slavery arrangements.
The A.C.L.U. and Catholic charities have been heroic in caring for and advocating for these children. One also suspects that border patrol agents know they are being compromised by this policy.
8
To the Republican politicians who believe this immoral and dangerous situation is somehow justified by national security, tell me this: what happens when thousands of children who were brutally traumatized by the US during their formative years come of age? Do you expect them to simply forgive and forget the cruelty you visited on them?
11
Let's face it, the refugee problem will only get worse with climate change devastation combined with the rise of global population numbers and right wing governments.
If this is how we deal with it now and seem to care little about even hearing about it, don't be surprised to discover some day that we could find ourselves in the same situation as all those "good Germans" were after the smoke had cleared, and they were horrified to learn what their country was doing behind their backs with their "Final Solution".
3
This is a sad story but these kids should not be in the country in the first place. They should be sent back home. Most migrants take advantage of the country's very weak asylum laws that beg for exploitation. In addition, another ridiculous law, does not allow the U.S. to send kids back home who are under 18 and not from Mexico or Canada. So this is the fault of the Democrats who will not even fix the broken asylum laws.
Again, obviously it's sad to read this but these kids are not American - you know? They are from Guatemala, Hondurus, and other countries. Why is everything always dropped on our doorstep, for us to deal with?
The best solution for these kids is just to send them all home and change the laws accordingly.
9
Let’s ignore the policy for a bit if that is possible. Yes, it I saw indefensible, but let’s ignore it now.
The US is the most powerful country in the world.
The mess could be cleaned up by this rich and powerful country immediately through an immediate and efficient use of manpower and funds.
From an administrative point of view, and I stress that I do not relate here to morality, the Messi could be cleaned up quickly.
The US is the country of Google, Amazon and the most powerful armed forces in the world.
There is no excuse for the blatant level of inefficiency and apparently stupidity.
7
You would think the fact that people are still coming to the border despite knowing what lies in store for them and more importantly their children would help people, including the Trump administration, to understand how truly horrible it must be for them at home. Only desperation would allow a parent to make this choice. And yet, these innocent little children and babies are being treated worse than criminals in our prisons. It's just disgusting. Come on Congress.
5
Is the Times aware of groups that coordinate help for kids in these "centers"? If so, it would be helpful to put out an article with list of organizations.
4
This has got to be one of the most horrendous stories I've read in a long time. When are we—the overwhelming majority of us who do the work—going to acknowledge the fact that those who own and control the wealth of the world through brute force of violence are the criminals and we—the masses of us—are the ones who they steal from. The U.S. military plunders the world in search of the raw materials to make corporate executives wealthy at the expense of all of us—especially those who are duped into serving them. These are not the sons and daughters of the wealthy elite—they are our sons and daughters who come home broken, or worse, in a box. We just don't need to live like this. We need to change all of this—we need to live in peace, equality and justice for all—it's capitalism that's rotten to the core! Socialism—democratic control over the means of production by the working majority—is the only solution to the descent into barbarism we're being dragged into before it's too late!
2
@Bonnie Weinstein I agree except that it is distribution that's a problem, not production; yet it's production that is causing climate change and the degradation of the environment, so that, too.
3
This is a crime against humanity.
And the ultimate blame lands on the desk in the Oval Office.
7
@Jean
Only partially true, blame the parents for breaking our laws and the governments from each of these countries. We send aid to each and every one of them in the billions. What's happened to said funds? Therein lies the crux of the problem. Fix Honduras, the DR, Haiti, etc the list is endless. We have laws for a reason.
8
I trust that someone somewhere is recording the names of those who run these so-called detention centers, as well as those who oversee the guards. There were war crime trials after WW II concluded, and I can envision similar trials in future years over America's treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. With responsibility comes accountability.
12
okay, they have potable water; electricity; food; not being shot at; not sleeping on dirt--all things that they were 'fleeing'.
why the whining?
12
@wskksw These are children.
9
How "interesting" that government representatives say that the situation is acceptable but that guards are using face coverings to avoid illness.
How can anyone - no matter which country, no matter which political party - say that this situation is acceptable.
Would Americans be happy with these surroundings, this treatment for their own children?
175
They might be using face coverings to disguise themselves while on duty.
19
@Marilyn that’s the problem, Trump’s base do not consider these children worth caring for. They’re not Americans so let them fester in misery. Our president has whipped up a storm of hatred and these are the dividends.
Please people, vote!
43
I think it is vitally important that the major news networks and especially Fox News have reporters and talk shows in these facilities so the American public can see for themselves it this reflects American values. If we are not proud to show our children how we treat other human beings this is not activity which should be taking place.
Since there is so much focus on Dem candidates, they should have a debate or town hall in these facilities. I would especially like to see McConnell and Pelosi interviewed in these camps. Lets have a whole group of Congress people go to see these conditions. Let’s give the world a good view of this cruel and brutal policy which shows the current state of Republicans family values.
If ever there was a time to speak up, this is it. We treat animals better than this.
186
@Robin Taylor. Unfortunately, I very much doubt that Fox News would want to cover this story with a reporter on the site. I am sure most of their viewers would believe any video or pictures of the horrible conditions were fake news. Even worse I know some who think they deserve that treatment for coming here.
22
@kspach -- Alex Jones would call the children "crisis actors."
23
It’s absolutely insane that this is happening in the wealthiest country on earth. The leadership of the Republican Party seems to go out of their way to inflict pain on the poorest and most disadvantaged people whenever they can.
226
@R
This smacks of the philosophy of Ayn Rand. Every person or him or her self. It would argue that if these children are worthwhile they will get themselves out of poverty and imprisonment.
It is embarrassing to see our government treating children this way. Prisoners incarcerated in US prisons are treated better than these children.
Ayn Rand's philosophy is at the root of this kind of government even for those who have never read Rand's books. We desperately need to root out such heartless thinking wherever we see it.
29
As Americans it seems all we do is talk or Tweet about this mess, and complain about Congress doing nothing. Congress will never do anything unless there is money in it for them. We need to fire Congress and fill it with Public Servants!
Why aren't big groups of us going down there to help, and demand better treatment for our fellow human beings? For children?
There are people who go and help, they cook, they clean, they show their kind faces. I'm tired of complaining, I'm going to Texas armed with toiletries and diapers and do what I can for these kids.
228
If anyone knows of a group who coordinates
this type of activity, please post bc I feel the same. I’m ready to fly to Texas and use my vacation time to take care of these kids. I’m disgusted and tired of reading about this and not doing anything.
70
@L Locke
Yes please, share this information.
24
@L Locke Can we get massive protests at these facilities? All well and good to protest in our cities, but these camps need to be visible.
32
Since Donald Trump was inaugurated president in January 2017 it has been easy to become inured to the appropriate sense of outrage we should be feeling at what we read his administration is doing to the most vulnerable among us. But this article has cut through all of that and filled me with absolute horror at how these babies, children and young people are being treated by our U.S. Border Patrol. The fact that there has been an incredible influx of immigrants at our southern border is no excuse. And we have no idea how long this has been going on without our conscious knowledge but with our silent complicity.
Under President Trump the United States has become a rogue nation where the most horrible cruelty is routinely occurring under the cloak of secrecy. It must stop! It must IMMEDIATELY become a priority of the U.S. House of Representatives to investigate and put an end to these human rights abuses that are being carried out in our name. It is shameful that we have let it come to this!
301
@Patricia Lay-Dorsey We should put the blame where it belongs. The House has refused to fund emergency supplies, and wouldn't approve a request for additional beds. All because they hate our president. Call your congressional Reps to end this nightmare!
17
@Tony
The atrocity is an outcome of the last election, and Trump. To say anything else is giving cover to the guilty. That's you Tony.
49
@Tony Hey Tony, President Trump declared an emergency to get funding for his wall. Why can't he declare a human rights emergency to obtain funding for improving the holding facilities? Answer: He doesn't want to.
61
I watched Sarah Fabian argue the merits of not providing the most basic of hygiene products to children. It was surreal. She struggled, knowing her robotic words conveyed a disconnect that hurt the brain. The gist of her argument was; the agreement didn't list specific necessities defining Safe and Sanitary:It had all the merits of trying to convince someone that a pair of shoe laces- minus the shoes was evidence one's feet were shod.
Please remember Sarah Fabian; she has cemented her place in history.
36
Human Rights Abuse.
Child Abuse.
Life-long emotional trauma.
We're doing this to children,
And we're supposed to be the "good guys" of the world.
A tragedy in our name.
31
Nice, the left is falls deeper into Trump’s trap.
Now they can truly be tarred as the party of open borders on one hand, and the party of reparations on the other.
And as moderates retreat and abandon the party, the loud and vocal extremists are left in control. The result? They advocate even harder for open borders, which attracts more migrants. They advocate even harder for reparations, which makes poor people think they’ll actually get reparations. In short, the entire Democratic Party is being pulled farther and farther to the left, to the point where they’ll never win a national election, the Senate, or a majority of the Court again. They’ll never be as marginalized as the Green Party, but they’ll never have as much power as Trump nationalists do either.
4
@Cane Very well said!
1
@Cane
Nobody advocates for open borders. Nobody. Period.
6
The Border Patrol detention facilities alluded to in the article are Border Patrol initial processing stations that were not designed for overnight stays. They are operated today exactly as they were during previous administration.
Until recently, most migrants apprehended at the border spent less than 24 hours at the processing stations before being released or transferred to ICE detention centers designed to hold migrants awaiting immigration hearings. Customs and Border Protection policy set forth in a 2008 memorandum stated migrant should not be held in the processing stations for more than 12 hours. This is why they have no beds or furniture. But the recent tsunami of Central American migrants have crowded the processing stations and increased processing times.
Migrants cross the border illegally and apply for asylum, even though they don’t meet criterial for asylum. They expect to rereleased white notifications to appear at court hearings set three to five years in the future. They call the notifications “permisos” because they permit the bearers to legally reside and work in the United States until the date of their hearings.
The solution is to revise U.S. asylum laws to deny asylum to anyone who enters the country illegally while permitting asylum seekers to apply for U.S. asylum in their home country, thus sparing rhyme the long hazardous trek to the U.S. border.
15
@William Case, I read that air conditioned tent facilities were previously set up to try and humanely accommodate the large numbers but were denounced by the left as “concentration” camps, Nazi stalag pejorative strongly implied. Reasoning to the possessed is futile. It’s really too bad because it sadly discounts the fact that these refugees are at least gratefully somewhere other than laying dead in Central America and all we want to do is argue about what temperature to set the thermostat for political points?
1
@John Doe
The processing stations aren't "freezing cold." The thermostats are set at levels most Americans would find comfortable because they are accustomed to central air conditions. But Central Americans unaccustomed to air conditional find it uncomfortable. The CBP personnel set the thermostats in summer a try slow 70s because they gave to be there every day. They probably should set thermostats in the high 70s.
How terrible it must be in their home countries that people subject themselves to such treatment. I have to believe they didn’t expect such inhumanity from the U.S.. I certainly didn’t. This is a stain on the moral fabric of our nation and I beg the NYT to provide information on how to help. Information on fostering these children to where to send supplies would be greatly appreciated.
16
"Good, honest, law-abiding folks just trying to live their lives". That describes the citizens that allowed their own neighbors and friends to be taken to concentration/internment camps legally. It sickens me to read comments that dehumanize the infant that had no choice, toddler that had no chance, and people trying to maintain hope. The contempt or anger directed against those that seek truth, attempt to shed light, or fight for justice makes me wonder if I will have the courage to stand up for what's right. When history reveals those that stood on the slippery slope of accepting tiny acts of cruelty, which accumulates into a deep chasm filled with inhumane acts, will I be on the side accepting evil, or fighting for good? Regardless of political faction, we should all be asking ourselves this question.
11
Cruelty is a planned feature of this reprehensible "plan" for migrants. It is a complex issue; but one an intelligent and thoughtful leader could solve. Hence, we are all out of luck; as this colossal buffoon's response to the question of why he isn't doing anything is "Obama built the cages." He acknowledges the cages and the conditions and does nothing. He should be prosecuted for directing child abuse, if not for crimes against humanity. American exceptionalism now refers to exceptional cruelty and exceptional disregard of our fellow human beings. A national disgrace...which should be on page one every day until it is fixed.
14
This is the mark that the current administration will leave, don’t doubt or deny it.
7
Interesting how she had unfettered access, but decided NOT to post any pictures of the conditions she claims to exist.
4
@Jeffrey “Another group of lawyers conducting inspections under the same federal court settlement said they discovered similar conditions earlier this month at six other facilities in Texas.”
Drop the conspiracy theories and start demonstrating some care for these children.
4
The situation these children are in, through absolutely no fault of their own, is almost beyond words for me to be able to describe it. Most of us would never treat any animal in the way these children are being treated, confined indefinitely, given no hope--and no care of physical needs whatsoever. They will remember this when they grow older, and it will form the basis of their opinion about America, the "land of the free, the home of the brave." Our country is being judged in terms of morality, kindness, and justice, and failing in all of them in this tragic case. President Trump could solve the problem with one sentence: "Parents, please come and claim your children, or send a responsible family member." Children should never, ever be held as political pawns, and those who hope to win or retain office on this basis should feel deep shame. It's perfectly OK to make the best and kindest choice, lose an election, and go home to a former job with a clear conscience, having taken responsibility for a helpless group of children.
151
Not sure what all the hysteria is about. After all, Pelosi, Schumer, and the national media has been telling us for months that there is no crisis at the border.
8
@AZPurdue How about saving that sarcasm and instead try sparing some concern for the conditions that blameless children are being forced to endure.
8
@AZPurdue. Obviously, this crisis of child detention is real and it was manufactured by Trump's policy of family separation.
5
I am still trying to figure out how the obscene treatment of these children is making America great again. I usually do not agree with AOC but in these case calling these places concentration camps is not far off from the mark. One wonders what we are paying groups that run these places $775 a day for.
7
The Don is betting on the short memories of the American public...this is now all the Democrats fault. and thet will buy it, crediting the Don with being the reasonable one.
Another day, another new low and probably another news story that will soon be forgotten in this country being run by the most incompetent and heartless administration in history. Of the countless examples of governmental malpractice this is surely the worst.
8
What can we do? Where can we send $ or supplies to help these kids? Should we all wear black armbands? This is untenable!
7
Only evil and depraved individuals would allow people, especially children, to exist in these conditions. To the government lawyers who argued that soap and toothbrushes are not necessary items I say take away from these people these same and other related items and their daily usage and let's see how long it is before they change their tune. It is clear that many of our politicians despise the people in these centers and think they are worth less than dirt. These thoughts may never change but they still need to get off their behinds and figure out a way to address this problem immediately. They have jobs to do and should not kick this can down the road in comfort while others remain in misery.
9
We are a disgraceful nation.
8
Behold what America really amounts to. Is this what we’ll be celebrating on the 4th of July?
8
Everyone supporting these deplorable conditions should be ashamed. If the aJustice Dept lawyers had any integrity, they would resign rather than make such disgusting and inhumane arguments.
5
Never forget that Trump's core supporters are evangelical Christians. "Christian love" has allowed these children to be held in inhumane conditions, wallowing in filth and suffering from hunger. Suffer the little children, indeed.
38
How about places like Cayuga Centers in NYC that house these minors at 6, 7 per 2 bedroom foster home. The kids have filed countless sexual abuse charges, some report the abuse after they are returned to their families. These get filed by the agency straight to the Office of Refugee Settlements hourly! And hardly any action is taken. To add, the facility itself is mice infested, disease spreads so quickly that even staff are out of work weekly. There are no precautions in place and the agency's idea of a "quarantine" is keeping an infected child home from school, waiting for the other 5-6 to return. School is a nightmare and there is no learning happening, rather babysitting while foster parents work other jobs. The staff who work at the facility are anything but qualified and executive staff direct staff to sign off on discharge packets regardless of whom the case belongs to, avoiding identity confirmations and thorough security checks before kids are returned. Foster parents do the bare minimum and while the border creates a deficit, foster parents and CEOs of places like Cayuga Centers bank in thousands of dollars.
19
Although the entire clear and concise, 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an easy must-read, here is an abbreviated version of the human rights being violated by the United States in dealing with immigrants today. There is no question that our nation is working against the basic rules set out in response to the catastrophes of the 1930s and 40s. Without any doubt, Article 14 is explicit about the rights of the immigrants.
Article 3 Right to Life, Liberty, Personal Security
Article 5 Freedom from Torture and Degrading Treatment
Article 6 Right to Recognition as a Person before the Law
Article 7 Right to Equality before the Law
Article 8 Right to Remedy by Competent Tribunal
Article 9 Freedom from Arbitrary Arrest and Exile
Article 10 Right to Fair Public Hearing
Article 11 Right to be Considered Innocent until Proven Guilty
Article 13 Right to Free Movement in and out of the Country
Article 14 Right to Asylum in other Countries from Persecution
37
@KAB Great point on the UN's role: Why isn't the UN providing resources, people, food, tents in Mexico for this refugee crisis?
The sheer amount of Central Americans plus kid(s) is overwhelming both Mexico and the U.S. facilities.
And the real refugees - the 11M+ displaced Venezuelans haven't even shown up yet or are coming via airports.
If there was a crisis made up for political scores, this is it.
Democrats have encouraged this behavior for folks to come
en masse. They can pin these "horrible conditons" on Trump.
Trump also like this folks to come en masse. It creates a source of cheap labor for his backers. He can also use this to rile up his support base.
Honestly, if hundreds or thousands show up, not sure what we can do. There will never be enough facilities, medical care, financial support, etc.
Who suffers from all this: low income folks.
10
@MS, Obama deported more than republicans did under 8 years of Bush. While Trump has decided to imprison them all instead. Direct your complaints to him, the child-caging favorite of the faux Christian Right.
12
@MS
You've made quite a statement there; now- provide evidence that Democrats have "encouraged this behavior". Also please provide evidence that "low income folks" suffer "from all this."
How do WE (yes, I am low income) suffer? Do Americans with low incomes suffer when undocumented immigrants pick lettuce, cherries, start their own businesses (and hire Americans), purchase their own homes, pay state and local taxes.... Please provide your evidence? The NYT isn't Disqus or Reddit or Facebook; most of us like facts.
12
900 people being held in a facility intended for 125. Now we’re getting somewhere.
So apparently we’re now obligated to increase our capacity tenfold, OR just let everyone loose into the country and then be told that deportations are inhumane. Sounds like open borders to me. If Democrats don’t like that term, they need to advocate some realistic effective proposals instead of just expressing how appalled and ashamed they are.
20
@Max
So sad.
1
This should be front page, top story of every media outlet in America. But in an age when we have lost perspective amid the daily outrage cycle, this hideous, shameful, inhuman and un-American behavior will continue.
51
The U.S. has now officially become the world's largest Third World country.
31
Sarah Fabian the lawyer with the Department of Justice who thinks it is needless to provide immigrants in detention with things like a toothbrush, soap, or a blanket is an excellent example of a person with no moral values. If she had any she would have quit rather than plead such a position.
48
If this concerns you, make donations. Go out today and buy hygiene supplies and mail them there. If you're Proctor and Gamble, donate products. No country would be able to house, bathe, and feed 50,000+ people even with three weeks notice. Your outrage with the president might be valid, but this influx is uncontrollable for anyone except billionaires who are willing to part away with a small fortune. There are millions of Americans that can't afford to see doctors, too. The countries of these immigrants failed them as well, penalize them.
9
@Chad
I wish I knew what I could do to allieviate the suffering of these children and refugees. I'm not about to start sending donations that I have no reason to believe will reach the people they're meant for. I also cannot pick up and head down there to help.
Our leaders and billionaires aren't addressing this crisis. This is America and these are human beings. Somehow I suspect there would be more outrage if these were dogs in similar horrific conditions. Shame on us.
5
The facilities are hopelessly overcrowded. Who is overcrowding them? The illegals who still can’t understand that they aren’t wanted here, this isn’t their country, and they need to go home.
12
Tell that to the scared, half-starved seven year old being kept in filth - by us. We should be so proud.
12
@scott_thomas Even so, releasing children into the wild and saying, "Go home. It's that way," would be a death sentence.
7
How is this not the top news story of every outlet?
How are there only 29 comments on this story?
How many of us are asleep?
20
@Jess That's what I keep wondering - why are people not reacting to this nightmare?!
3
“Our humanity is indelibly linked to our treatment of one another. Humane treatment grows humanity. Inhumane treatment destroys humanity. At its roots, humanity is an elegantly simple equation - input equals output.”
― L.R. Knost
15
Children fleeing terror are now in cages.
No soap, no blankets, no toothpaste.
You Americans are supposed to be a superpower, right?
21
@FilmMD
As if superpowers haven't engaged in atrocities since the beginning of time.
For shame, USA! Are we not better than this!
15
No
2
Please tell us how we can help!!!
20
Here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/24/opinion/border-kids-immigration-help.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
4
Start harassing the employees going to and leaving work. Block the gates at the camps. It's called civil disobedience. Find out where they live, and protest in the streets in front of their homes.
They enjoy making life miserable for defenseless children. Make life miserable for them.
4
A national disgrace.
12
The first concentration camps originated during the Boer wars in South Africa and were created by the victorious British to house the defeated, yet still defiant Boers. The Brits used concentration camps and the suffering of those confined within them to try to break the will of the Boers that were still at liberty and fighting British rule. Thousands of civilians were housed in the camps and thousands died of exposure, malnutrition and disease. Trump administration is not operating death camps like those used by the Nazis, but plainly they are running concentration camps, designed to use suffering and deprivation to break the will of migrants and discourage other migrants from illegally entering this country. It is not hyperbole to refer to them as concentration camps because, however much they may have started that way, that's exactly what they have become and it looks very much like intentional policy.
119
They may not kill them directly, but they are doing so slowly by brutal neglect. If this situation doesn't change soon, it won't be long before we find out one of these 'camps' suffer a disease outbreak that kills several or even many.
5
No other word but evil can be used to describe our political leaders and government workers who are implementing and carrying out these polices. Surely Congress could carry out its oversight role and intervene. I'll contact all my political representatives today. But since they're all Republicans, I have little faith that they'll do anything about the situation.
65
@Paul Smith,
it's a wonder to me that Austin is so progressive but has republican local, state and national reps. what's going on?
4
@JA In a word: Texas.
5
@JA. It is called gerrymandering.
3
The nation needs to see video of these conditions! Several people I have discussed this news with do not believe that conditions are as bad as were described. They say the reports are exaggerated by biased witnesses.
A Picture is worth 10000 votes!!
125
@Frank
ICE is not allowing video in these camps for a reason.
29
Another "picture worth a thousand words" would be tv coverage of a million people marching in D.C. and around the country. Did it not propel change and show the shame on this nation in the eyes of the world? The Womens' March launched a movement as did the Civil Rights March. Have we simply become too complacent or just lack the leadership to mobilize? Even a nationwide strike could create a change in this deplorable situation? The question is where, how and by whom to carry out both scenarios. Those innocent children deserve immediate action on our part.
15
I used to like America. And I'm American.
Now it eats itself.
52
It's time to march in the streets. There are not the actions of a government we can support.
One can understand why people say "Not my president", what I don't understand is why anyone would in light of this atrocity.
36
@Eric Williams We should put the blame where it belongs. The House has refused to fund emergency supplies, and wouldn't approve a request for additional beds. All because they hate our president. Call your congressional Reps to end this nightmare!
8
@Billy I hope you have no children.
I hope you, however, run a red light and are then treated as these children are.
1
@Tony
Torturing children and separating families is all right wing stuff. They own it. Your attempt to shift blame shows a) bad faith, b) guilty conscience.
Accept the facts, our government is commiting atrocities and it's Team Trumps watch.
4
Camps.
We're putting innocent, defenseless children in camps.
48
So 200 people show up on your doorstep unannounced one day. What are you going to do and with what? Where's Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic Congress in all this? They have the power to make laws, fund and take action. I haven't seen them do anything but complain. This is what they've been elected to do?
18
Kurt Pickard-
Have you forgotten? The Republicans are in control and choose not to legislate. Blaming all Democrats and Obama for ever immigration atrocity is propaganda at best. Nothing will get accomplished if we continue to believe the continual lies that Trump spews regarding immigration. Nothing will get accomplished until Trump ceases to get advisement from Stephen Miller whose only immigration ideology is based on hate.
24
@Kurt Pickard
If 200 people showed up at my doorstep, I could fail miserably and still do better than stealing their children so I could imprison them under inhuman conditions.
There’s failure, and then there’s intentional cruelty. Our country is responsible for the latter.
I am contacting my representatives and Nancy Pelosi, repeatedly — we must continue pressure our representatives to act.
Have you?
29
@Kurt Pickard The president has declared a national emergency at the border. He has all the resources he needs to fix this.
19
Each of us should call our representative and say that this is a human rights abuse against children at our border. Marianne Williamson 2020 democratic presidential candidate called on all of us in her Twitter feed this morning to take action. I will be doing just that once the office opens this morning here in CA.
17
I wait one article about that: https://www.elmundo.es/cronica/2019/06/23/5d07c25c21efa0b1338b4596.html
3
Children in cages, teenage mothers dirty with breast milk, no room to sleep, no soap to wash... THIS is our government’s policy caring for CHILDREN? I’m sickened, I’m angry, I’m ashamed. Write your representatives, raise a loud clamor, and VOTE this cruel administration that revels in causing panic and confusion out of office.
209
@Louise Steinman, as you know here in Los Angeles we are in the throes of a homelessness crisis where everything below or above a freeway overpass is covered with tents and other homeless shelters, none of which have toilets let alone soap and water. As well come to the public school in East LA where I teach and check out what’s not in the empty soap dispensers there either. You ever stop to think that it’s just too much for anything let alone a government to handle?
3
@Honeybee
good grief
12
I just sent an e-mail to Senator Lindsey Graham, asking him to get help to these children. I'm pretty sure he won't do anything except blame Democrats.
Shame. Shame. Shame.
Pick the worst zoo in America.
Compare the treatment of these kids to how that zoo treats its animals.
Republicans - if you ever want to have a shot at getting a vote for ANY candidate again from this former ticket splitter, YOU have to talk to the clown in the Oval Office, and get this fixed. Today. This morning.
Right now, I wouldn't let you be the dog catcher.
That you would actually hold kids hostage like this is criminal. I'm amazed you can look at yourselves in the mirror.
Shame. Shame. Shame.
174
@Brian
But many righties want this. Don't hold your breath.
10
@Brian We should put the blame where it belongs. The House has refused to fund emergency supplies, and wouldn't approve a request for additional beds. All because they hate our president. Call your congressional Reps to end this nightmare!
7
@Tony Who told you this lie?
12
Shame on our politicians!
25
OMG, how have we come to this place as a country. It is impossible for me to know that my government believes that we can treat human beings like this. How does that lawyer Ms. Fabian even able to verbalize the government position. Does she sleep at night ?
The republicans take issue with AOC calling these facilities concentration camps and from what I have read this is no different. This is madness- people are donating to re-elect this man and we can't stop this Madness! This is inhumanity- a third country. Have we no shame !!!
49
Guests at Trump's many hotels, golf courses and casinos etc should take all the complimentary soaps and toothbrushes with Trump's name on them and send them to these children. Then send the news photographers to put these photos on front pages everywhere.
191
@bobi
YES! And all sympathetic staff at Trump's businesses ought to steal as much as they can and send them to these kids!
14
Reporter Chuck Todd directly asks President Trump why he doesn't DO something about these current atrocious conditions, Trump boldly lies and says he stopped family separations and blames Obama.
Perhaps Trump could at least send "Be Best" Melania with her
"I really don't care, do you" jacket back down to the border to offer her help again.
121
Chuck was so direct in his questions and pleadings to Trump. He really stood up for the kids and for America in his wandering interview. Beyond the in-your-face about immigrants he got Trump to show a sickening, sell-out value system for weapons and all things rotten about his Saudi friends. George Stephanopolous also did well a week ago. Neither political show host was wowed or cowed by the president. Trump showed his true colors.
39
@JM And as usual, the television interviewer let Trump say these things without pushing back, not that Trump lets anyone else talk, but these latest "interviews" are really just a chance for Trump to spew his propaganda, unchecked. Why is there not a journalist around who can actually make him answer a question and call him a liar when he lies on national television? He knows through experience that he can say anything he wants, ANYTHING, and the cowed journalists may murmur some objection, nothing more.
66
Right on!
6
Where are all the pro-lifers? Shouldn't these children also be saved?
353
@Nurse No, because the pro-lifers don't care about kids once they're born. At that point, they have to get a job so they aren't seen as lazy or indolent.
103
@Nurse No, these are "brown" children, born outside the U.S., so they are not deserving of our care and concern. Really, they are little more than an inconvenience, and the sooner they can be sent elsewhere, preferably South, the better. If they wanted better treatment, they shouldn't have crossed the Border. Oh, wait, they are children, so probably an adult brought them, hoping for a better life than the torture and starvation in their home country. Joke's on all of them, because we're showing we're no better, possibly worse.
62
@Alice The Nazis (who killed my family remaining in Europe in 1939) were at least honest about this sort of thing...and tried their darndest to hide it until the Red Army advanced into Poland and "regular" concentration camps became murder camps like the facilities in the Gouvernement-General.
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And when asked about this shameful situation, the President of the United States of America said it was the fault of the former President who hasn't held the office for more than 2 1/2 years. The children are hungry and can't bathe and that's Obama's fault.
Where is the money going that could properly care for these children and adjudicate the backlog of asylum cases at the border? Well, there's the wall. And the President does have to get to his golf clubs regularly, of course? And, after all, the paint job on the new Air Force One is what really matters.
And the Congress? What are they doing about this? Anything?
I'm ashamed.
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@Anne in St. Louis
I'm also ashamed. I have to travel to Europe, later this year. Maybe they will believe I'm Australian?
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@otto I'm also ashamed. When I travel out of the US (about once a year) I try to pass as Canadian.
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