Attorney General Jeff Sessions suggested that the Trump administration’s zero tolerance policy on illegal border crossings resulting in family separations is part of an effort to deter more illegal entries, breaking with a fellow Cabinet member who described such talk about the policy as being offensive.
During an interview Monday evening, Fox News’ Laura Ingraham pressed Sessions on the topic, asking if the policy was meant to be a deterrent.
“Fundamentally, we are enforcing the law,” Sessions said before Ingraham interrupted him to ask again if the policy was viewed as a deterrent.
Sessions argued that in the past no one was being prosecuted and that was a factor in increased illegal immigration numbers, and then added, “So yes, I hope people will get the message and come through the border at the port of entry and not break across the border unlawfully.”
The Homeland Security Department confirmed Friday that nearly 2,000 minors were separated from accompanying adults between ports of entry at the border between April 19 and May 31 since the zero tolerance policy took effect. Minors who are split from their families as a result of the zero tolerance policy will be housed by the Health and Human Services Department.
Before the Sessions interview, the administration appeared to be backing away from calling the hardline policy a deterrent.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen argued during the White House press briefing Monday that prior administrations also separated children from adults and fielded questions from reporters about whether the policy was intended to be a deterrent.
“Are you intending for parents to be separated from their children?” a reporter asked Nielsen. “Are you intending to send a message?”
“I find that offensive,” Nielsen said in response. “No. Because why would I create a policy that purposely does that?”
“Perhaps as a deterrent,” the reporter said.
After the two exchanged in some cross-talk, Nielsen said that was a different question than what was originally asked.
“That is not the question that you asked me,” Nielsen said after some cross-talk. “But the answer is, it is a law passed by the United States Congress. Rather than fixing the law, Congress is asking those of us who enforce the law to turn our backs on the law and not enforce the law.”
