When Melania Trump Opposed Her Husband's Immigration Politics
Donald Trump's harsh policies separated some 2,000 children of irregular migrants from their families. This drew widespread protests from various groups, including from Melania Trump.
President Donald Trump is set to meet this week with Republican lawmakers to discuss immigration laws. Trump has imposed a tough policy on the border region. Since then on the US-Mexico border many illegal immigrants have been detained for repatriation, but their children are detained separately.
This policy invited protests from the public and the international community. UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein urged the US to stop separating parents from their children. In a speech Monday (18/6) before the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, he said:
"The idea that a country tries to block parents from entering by violating the rights of their children is humble," Zeid said.
About 2,000 children were separated from their families between mid-April and late May after the Trump administration announced a “zero tolerance” policy in cases of illegal immigrants and carrying out criminal prosecution.
The children of arrested illegal immigrants are separated from their parents, it is not clear what will happen to them.
First Lady Melania speaking
Images of children living in shelters and in makeshift tents sparked heated debate over a tightened immigration policy.
First Lady Melania Trump has yet to make a public statement directly, but on Sunday (17/6) her communications director, Stephanie Grisham, told the media: "Mrs Trump hates seeing children separated from their families and hopes both (political) camps end up. can come together to achieve successful immigration reform. "
Stephanie Grisham further said, Melania Trump "believes this country needs to be a country that follows all laws, but also one that governs by heart."
Trump has so far accused Democrats of deliberately blocking his immigration policies, so that the chaotic situation on the border is now unfolding. But criticism of his anti-immigrant policy has also emerged from within his own party.
Protests in New York and Texas
Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, said the government is sending a message to illegal immigrants: "If people cross the border with children, the children will be taken away from them. That can be traumatic. innocent, and that goes against our values in this country, "he said.
Trump is expected to meet Republican lawmakers on Tuesday to discuss immigration laws, including his proposal to build a separation wall along the border with Mexico.
On Sunday's Father's Day commemoration, seven Democrats from New York and New Jersey joined hundreds of demonstrators outside immigration detention facilities in New Jersey to protest the policy of separating children from their parents.
"This is not our way as a nation," said councilor Jerrold Nadler. While at a similar protest in Texas, Board member Beto O'Rourke led a march to a children's shelter made up of tents. He called the facility "inhuman" and "this is not America".
