Sen. Jeff Merkley accused President Trump of “reopening” an internment camp that was used to detain Americans of Japanese heritage during World War II to now use for migrant children.
“These children belong in homes, schools, and parks—not prison camps,” the Democrat from Oregon said.
This photo of a Japanese American internment camp represents one of the darkest chapters of our history. Yesterday it was announced Donald Trump will be reopening one of these camps to detain migrant children. These children belong in homes, schools, and parks—not prison camps. pic.twitter.com/Ea1FBfCcWF
— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) June 12, 2019
Merkley added he has introduced a bill with California Rep. Judy Chu to “end child prison camps. There are so many better ways to care for and protect migrant children than to throw them into environments that are traumatic, inhumane, and detrimental to their development.”
I’ve introduced a bill, along with @RepJudyChu, to end child prison camps. There are so many better ways to care for and protect migrant children than to throw them into environments that are traumatic, inhumane, and detrimental to their development. This practice has to stop. pic.twitter.com/LzyvnEZcgC
— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) June 12, 2019
The location where migrant children will be held until the Department of Health and Human Services can find sponsors for them is Fort Sill, an Army base that has been operating since 1869. It did house Japanese Americans when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed order Executive Order 9066.
The base has been used to house migrant children in the past. In 2014, approximately 2,000 unaccompanied minors were placed at Fort Sill for two months. The Army base has the ability to house 1,400 children today, according to the Military Times.
