Administration officials have pointed to “the law” as the reason why undocumented children are being separated from their parents. But there’s no such law. (Meg Kelly/The Washington Post)
“Obama separated . . . . . . . . children from parents, as did Bush etc., because that is the policy and law. I tried to keep them together but the problem is, when you do that, vast numbers of additional people storm the Border. So with Obama seperation is fine, but with Trump it’s not. Fake 60 Minutes!”
— President Trump, in a pair of tweets, Nov. 25, 2018
“Mexico should move the flag waving Migrants, many of whom are stone cold criminals, back to their countries.”
— Trump, in a tweet, Nov. 26, 2018
“They had to use [tear gas on migrants at the border] because they were being rushed by some very tough people. And they used tear gas.”
— Trump, remarks at the White House, Nov. 26, 2018
It’s not the first time Trump tries to minimize the scope of his family separations at the border by claiming that President Barack Obama had the same policy. This claim and its variations have been roundly debunked. We gave them Four Pinocchios in June. But they’re back now, and so are we.
Trump also claimed without evidence again that “criminals” are part of the migrant caravans traveling from Central America to the U.S.-Mexico border. The administration over the past month has tried to cobble together proof of Trump’s claim. It has almost nothing but supposition to show the public. Many of the caravan members are women and children fleeing violence in their home countries or seeking economic opportunity in the United States. They hardly fit Trump’s description of “very tough people” rushing the border.
The Facts
There is simply no comparison between Trump’s family separation policy and the border enforcement actions taken by the Obama and George W. Bush administrations. (After a public outcry, Trump in late June signed an executive order to end family separations.)
View the complete November 27 article by Salvador Rizzo on The Washington Post website here.