Democrats Introduce Legislation To Stop Trump From Separating Families

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In the midst of the biggest political crisis of his presidency Donald Trump has been blaming Democrats and Congress. Of course everyone with half a brain knows that the policy of separating children from their parents at the U.S. border with Mexico came straight from the Oval Office.

But just to make sure everyone in the country knows that the president is lying about where the blame lies for the current crisis, Democrats in both houses of Congress are introducing legislation that will expressly prohibit Trump or any agency under his control from continuing his draconian policies.

First of all, under the leadership of Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, Senate Democrats on Monday were unanimous in agreeing to support a new bill that would stop separations of children from parents. In today’s highly partisan atmosphere it is not unusual for there to be 100% support from one party for a bill like this, and all 49 senators in the Democratic caucus have now announced they are behind it.

Although giving lip service to support for stopping the separations, none of the Republican senators said they would support Feinstein’s bill.

Also on Monday Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, announced he is introducing the Keep Families Together Act in the House which will prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from separating families at the border and delay the prosecution process for immigrants seeking asylum. Nadler’s bill is very similar, although not identical, to Feinstein’s Senate bill.

Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, whose Democratic credentials are sometimes challenged, announced Monday he would be the 49th Democratic senator to sign on to the legislation. In a statement Manchin wrote, “As a father, grandfather, and Christian, I am wholeheartedly opposed to any policy that allows innocent children to be separated from their parents as they enter our country.”

While Trump continued to blame Democrats on Monday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York issued a statement saying they would not take the blame. “As everyone who has looked at this agrees, this was done by the president, not Democrats. He can fix it tomorrow if he wants to, and if he doesn’t want to, he should own up to the fact that he’s doing it,” Schumer said.

Sen. Kamala Harris of California went a step further Monday as she became the first senator to demand that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resign.

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Leo Vidal

I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.