Rep. Joe Kennedy Calls Separating Children From Families At Border 'Pure Inhumanity'
BOSTON (CBS/AP) — U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy has participated in a march in Texas to protest the Trump administration policy of separating children from their parents as families arrive at the nation's southern border.
The Massachusetts Democrat joined the protest Sunday to draw attention to a tent-like shelter to house hundreds of the minors near the Tornillo port of entry in far West Texas.
Crossed Paso del Norte from El Paso into Ciudad Juárez after being turned away by HHS at the Trump Administration's tent city in Tornillo. #KeepFamiliesTogether pic.twitter.com/31MjVwSr0b
— Joe Kennedy III (@joekennedy) June 17, 2018
Kennedy has called the practice of family separation "monstrous" saying all families, and all children, deserve to be treated with dignity and decency.
The protest was led by Texas Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke who said he was working on legislation to end the practice.
Arrived in Tornillo TX where first tent city for kids has gone up. Was refused entrance by HHS. Given amount of misinformation and conflicting info coming from Trump Admin, it's critical that Congress and American public know exactly how these children are treated by our system.
— Joe Kennedy III (@joekennedy) June 17, 2018
A Kennedy spokesman said he attempted to visit the facility but was denied entry.
President Donald Trump has tried to blame Democrats for the policy.
"There are as many conservative voices speaking out and speaking up and saying this is pure inhumanity on behalf on the Donald Trump administration to try and take out their frustrations on children," said Kennedy. "There's no call, for it there's no cause for it. We as a nation are better than this. And I think the administration is going to wake up to that sooner rather than later and change this policy."
In Boston on Sunday, more than 200 demonstrators took to the streets to protest the policy of separating children from their parents.
Many of the protesters brought their own children as a sign of solidarity on Father's Day. The demonstrators gathered outside of the Suffolk County House of Corrections, a facility that's also being used as an ICE detention center.
Detainees inside could be seen waving behind barred windows with signs that read "Thank You." The goal is to motivate lawmakers to act on immigration reform.
ICE is defending their "zero tolerance" policy… saying it's a way to prevent people from breaking the law.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)