ACLU Comment on Government Report Criticizing Trump Family Separations

NEW YORK – An internal government report criticized the Trump administration’s implementation of the family separation policy, citing poor planning, lack of communication, and the Department of Homeland Security’s failure to “identify, track, and reunify families.” The review was published by the DHS Office of Inspector General and was prompted by calls from advocates, the public, and elected officials for an independent investigation.

The American Civil Liberties Union successfully sued to block the policy and immediately reunite the separated families. Thousands of families were torn apart by this inhumane practice, which sparked global outrage and was designed to scare other families from seeking refuge in the United States. Many families remain separated today.

Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project and lead attorney in the family separation lawsuit, had this reaction to the new report:

“Thousands of children are living with trauma because of the Trump administration’s family separation fiasco. Some parents may never see their children again. This report shows not just the cruelty of the Trump administration’s actions, but also its ineptitude and historic failure of foresight in comprehending the devastating effects and fallout from this policy.”

More information is at: https://www.aclu.org/cases/ms-l-v-ice