The Trump administration callously uses children as pawns in its war on immigrants. First in its repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and now with its policy of arresting everyone who crosses our southern border illegally, the administration cynically inflicts permanent damage on children, punts the solution to Congress and then obstructs every Congressional effort to respond.

These tactics must be called what they are:  barbaric, inhumane and fundamentally racist.

President Trump’s executive order allowing children to remain with their parents does not change that assessment. More than 2,300 children have already been separated from their families, and their location and plans to reunite them have not been addressed. The order appears only to allow children to remain with their parents for the first 20 days. It is unclear whether or when facilities to house families during this period will be available. A solution that addresses housing after the first 20 days is dependent on Congress or the courts — which is by no means a certain path — and the administration has no plans in the case of inaction by these other branches of government.

Even were these issues are resolved, children do not belong in cages; they should not be locked up in any fashion, with or without their parents. And parents fleeing violence and deprivation should not be prosecuted indiscriminately.

– By Claire Levy