What the Hell is Happening at the U.S. Border?!

Children are likely to suffer from long-term development and psychological harm after being separated from their families, living in detainment shelters and experiencing neglect, and sexual and physical abuse in response to the Trump administration’s “no tolerance” policy at the border.

JUST IN TODAY: President Trump signed executive order to keep families together.

“This will solve that problem. At the same time, we are keeping a very powerful border and it continues to be a zero tolerance. We have zero tolerance for people who enter our country illegally,” the president said.

Many of the enforcement officers have to put their own personal opinions aside when working. Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Thomas Homan said on behalf of himself and ICE officers stated, “That’s our job” he said. “Our job is to enforce the law. We don’t get to pick and choose what we do. …Every police officer sees sad things, but we gotta do this job.” This level of discipline has been represented repeatedly throughout time among different levels enforcement who believed they held no individual power once told orders.

The number of immigrants who crossed the border illegally increased in May 2018 by more than 2,000 people despite the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy. The president’s policy prosecutes illegal immigrants and separates prosecuted parents from their children.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said, “separating children from their parents at the border was necessary to stop the flow of parents bringing their children to the United States illegally.” So, why are people still taking the risk?

David Leopold, the former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said, “the poor conditions in Central America are driving immigration in a way that Trump’s policies cannot stop. I think it’s desperation. They think it’s better to spend time in detention than face what they’re facing in [Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador].”

“[Immigrants] aren’t “sent” by their home countries, and they are not seeking to enter the United States simply for the thrill of it.”

When a person decides to leave their home and everything they’ve known, it isn’t a simple decision. Traditionally, economic reasons have motivated migrants. However, spiking crime in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala caused many to flee.

Civil wars in the Northern Triangle (Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala) skyrocketed in the 1980’s and the region still remains plagued by corruption, drug trafficking and gang violence even though there has been rigorous action through police and judicial reforms.

Has the United States seen this level of minority mistreatment before? Unfortunately, yes. Actually, it’s disgustingly too often. Note that the United States is not the only country that has taken this level of action – it’s a universal trend.

Some examples of mass minority mistreatment are: Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp in Cuba, the Japanese-American Internment Camps, the Holocaust, the Jim Crow Era, the Trail of Tears, and the general concept of slavery.