Family Separations Only Promote Fear, Not Justice

The Trump Administration’s decision to separate children from their families has received a great deal of negative attention. This is understandable as so many people have children and all of us can remember when we ourselves were young. It is painfully simple to imagine our children taken from us with no information about where they are, or to think about how our younger selves would feel if forced to sleep on the floor surrounded by a metal fence. It is reprehensible on every level and rightfully elicits a visceral reaction.

What is the Trump Administration’s motivation for enacting such heartless protocol? It is clearly not for the benefit of the children; experts across the political spectrum agree that this kind of trauma could cause lifelong psychological and behavioral problems. It is costing the government far more money to tear apart these families than it would to keep the families together. Data suggests caring for children separated from their parents costs approximately $500 more per night than detaining families together, and the Trump Administration plans to spend just shy of a billion dollars on these detentions in 2018.

The only reason for separating children from their families is to sow fear. AG Sessions stated, “If you don’t like [having your children taken], then don’t smuggle them over our border.” While those seeking asylum are by definition not criminals, we can certainly all agree that harming innocent children should never be a consequence for ‘illegal’ activity. Punishing children for the discretions of the parent is both unfair and inhumane. We are not taking these kids for their own protection or even in the name of fiscal conservatism. We are doing this so people seeking asylum won’t come because they are afraid our government will take their children. If we were speaking of another country that threatened innocent children with cruelty and weaponized fear, we would call these actions terrorism. How far we have fallen from that shining city on a hill.

History will not look kindly on those who did nothing while babies were ripped from their families’ arms in America. Each election is important this November is our first opportunity to say loudly and clearly that we will not use threats of terror to influence a person’s actions. We can use our outrage to say that we as Americans are better than this and we demand a change in Washington. Let us vote in favor of those who stand up to unnecessary cruelty, and vote out those who defend inhumane policies or are too cowardly to speak truth to power. We need to make a statement that America will treat every individual with respect and dignity. We must do this to restore our place in the eyes of the world and, yes, for all of our children.