House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., railed against President Trump’s zero tolerance policy toward illegal border crossings on Monday, calling it a “dark stain” on America.
“President Trump’s family separation policy leaves a dark stain on our nation,” Pelosi said in a statement. “Ripping vulnerable little children away from their parents is an utter atrocity that debases America’s values and our legacy as a beacon of hope, opportunity and freedom.”
Over the weekend, Democrats from across the country traveled to Texas to tour detention facilities, decrying Trump’s zero tolerance policy as one that “means zero humanity and makes zero sense.”
Democrats kept pressure on Republicans over the weekend and into Monday, releasing statements blasting Trump. The administration has argued that current law prevents the U.S. government from holding minors in detention, and that family separation is the natural result of decisions to prosecute anyone who tries to enter the U.S. with children outside a U.S. checkpoint.
The administration has also blamed Democrats for refusing to work with Republicans on a legislative fix, but Pelosi rejected any effort to blame Democrats.
“For the president to allege that there is a law or precedent for severing parents and children is simply a falsehood,” Pelosi said. “For him to blame Democrats is yet another sign of his pathological need to distract and divert attention for his constant trampling over the law.”
“Republicans in Congress have a moral and legal responsibility to end this inhumane and illegal policy, but the harsh Republican legislation only makes this disturbing, disgusting situation worse for innocent, vulnerable little children at the border,” she continued. “Yet, the blame for every mistreated child, heartbroken mother and father and broken family rests squarely on the president, and only he can end the trauma.”
