Defending Separations, DHS Sec. Says Parents Aren’t Exempt From Prosecution

US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen speaks at a press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC on June 18, 2018. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALO... US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen speaks at a press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC on June 18, 2018. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Defending the Trump administration migrant family separation policy Monday, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen asserted that Congress ought to change the law to allow for families to be detained together — even though the President could immediately end the new policy.

Nielsen acknowledged, though, that the administration’s border policy had changed.

“What has changed is that we no longer exempt entire classes of people who break the law,” she said.

That was an apparent reference to Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ “zero tolerance” prosecution announcement in April. As a result, because children cannot be held in criminal detention, there has been a subsequent spike in family separations.

Rather than admitting that Sessions or Trump could reverse the policy, though, Nielsen echoed the Trump administration line, that Congress ought to be responsible for changing the law.

“Until these loopholes are closed by Congress, it is not possible as a matter of law to detain and remove whole family units who arrive illegally in the United States,” she said.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Homeland Security Secretary… asserted that Congress ought to change the law to allow for families to be detained together

    “Lock them up, lock them up, lock them up!”

    'Murrica 2018. :confused:

  2. This fucking Nazi bitch needs to be frog marched to prison as a criminal violator or human rights and a Trump loving traitor.

    If these assholes think that ‘deterrence’ should be a policy we here in America embrace, then I think we need to be clear with them that we’re coming the fuck after every single America hating traitor one of them when power is taken back. And I mean make a fearsome example of these maggots.

  3. She needs to be put in a cage.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

61 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for jootjoint Avatar for kwoodgr Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for cervantes Avatar for george_spiggott Avatar for teenlaqueefa Avatar for becca656 Avatar for zoester Avatar for slagathor Avatar for alansnipes734 Avatar for ralph_vonholst Avatar for ottnott Avatar for leftcoaster Avatar for topchap Avatar for jonney_5 Avatar for georgeh Avatar for spencersmom Avatar for jtx Avatar for tiowally Avatar for katscherger Avatar for erik_t Avatar for ohcomeonnow Avatar for rascal_crone

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: