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Statement

'Once Again, the Trump Administration Is Inflicting Trauma and Cruelty on Immigrant Children and Families,' Moms Leader Says

October 19, 2018
Immigration

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement from Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, CEO and executive director of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on Family Separation 2.0:

“The Trump Administration is doubling down on its disgraceful family separation policy at the border, ignoring federal court rulings and the millions of Americans calling for an end to family separation and imprisonment. Instead of stopping this abuse, the White House is giving family separation a makeover and hoping no one will notice.

“The Trump administration plans to either tear children away from their parents or detain them together in adult jails with stomach-turning records of abuse. This is just the latest in a parade of horrors from the Trump administration, after we have learned that they separated far more children than they ever reported and that those children could be forced into adoption without their parents' knowledge or consent. Once again, the Trump administration is inflicting trauma and cruelty on immigrant children and families.

“Hundreds of separated children remain alone and traumatized as a result of this manufactured crisis – and there are hundreds more still suffering. Children don’t belong behind bars. They belong with their families where they can be tucked in safe at night.

“Every asylum-seeking child and family deserves compassion and respect. Separating families and abusing children is inexcusable – and we as a nation must do better for asylum-seeking families who are looking for safety for themselves and their children. Moms will reject these new policies and make our voices heard – in our homes, in our communities, and at the polls this November.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.