@ Focus: Current immigration news & Trump's remarks

[pixy0stix]

The world is burning, and our hair is on fire. However, I'd really like to focus on what the current administration is doing immigration-wise. Some of this may be a repeat, but I think it's important to talk about again.


Almost 1,500 Migrant Children Placed in Homes by the U.S. Government Went Missing Last Year - time.com/5256734/government-missing-migrant-children/

What was found in 2016: U.S. Placed Immigrant Children With Traffickers, Report Says - www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/us/politics/us-placed-immigrant-children-with-traffickers-report-says.html

From February: U.S. is separating immigrant parents and children to discourage others, activists say - www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-immigrant-family-separations-2018-story.html

From May: Trump administration's 'zero tolerance' border enforcement policy to separate more families - www.cnbc.com/2018/05/07/tougher-us-border-enforcement-policy-to-separate-more-families.html

(Related: Trump tried to blame the Democrats - AP FACT CHECK: Trump misplaces blame for family splits - www.washingtonpost.com/national/ap-fact-check-trump-misplaces-blame-for-family-splits/2018/05/16/4abb42e2-595f-11e8-9889-07bcc1327f4b_story.html )

What they're proposing to do with the children now: Trump administration preparing to hold immigrant children on military bases - www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-preparing-to-shelter-migrant-children-on-military-bases/2018/05/15/f8103356-584e-11e8-b656-a5f8c2a9295d_story.html

During Roundtable, Trump Calls Some Unauthorized Immigrants 'Animals' - www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/17/611877563/during-roundtable-trump-calls-some-unauthorized-immigrants-animals

Important to note - The current FB rhetoric is that we're halfway to genocide.

[eponinepontmercy]

I keep coming in here, but I still don't know what to say. This is reprehensible.

[msmerymac]

This is important to talk about, but also sends me into fits of despair. It's potentially the most despicable thing this administration has engaged in.

[pixy0stix]

I'm just glad people read it. I started putting this post together last night and had to take a break.

[leshoequeen]

I don't even know what to say. This is the sort of thing that thinks we can never come back from the depths of this administration. These poor, poor children.

[Deleted]

May 17, 2018 10:00:10 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I'm just glad people read it. I started putting this post together last night and had to take a break.

I think the hard thing about reading this stuff is how helpless I feel about it.* I can write my legislators and ask them to come up with a solution. I can donate to immigrants rights organizations. But ICE and DHS have so much power.

*To be clear, I realize that my discomfort with reading this stuff PALES in comparison to what families are actually experiencing. I don't want to make it sound like I'm oppressed for reading this.

[miniroller]

May 17, 2018 10:00:10 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I'm just glad people read it. I started putting this post together last night and had to take a break.

I can definitely understand; I’ve had to take two while reading. Trying to decide how best to post/ share on my media accounts so as many others as possible also read about these horrifying, despicable (un-American!) acts.
Joining others in thanking you for posting.

[mbcdefg]

Even if Trump and his underlings are all magically removed from office tomorrow, it's going to take a long, LONG time to undo the damage and heartache he's already caused. 

What a horrible, heartless person leading a horrible, heartless bunch of people. And he has the nerve to call others "animals."

[heyjude]

I hate when people say this, but thank you for posting.

:::::breathes into paper bag::::::

[meshaliuknits]

Lost children. Children placed with TRAFFICKERS. I don't have the words or gif to appropriately explain how ANGRY I am reading those.

I'm going to have to come back to this and finish. And then figure out the appropriate way to channel my anger.

[seeyalater52]

I cry when I think about it. But I read every single article and follow this issue closely, because you can't just not face it, especially since so many don't have a choice. It's heartwrenching even to read.

[msmerymac]

pixy0stix, what do you mean by current rhetoric on facebook? By experts who are posting their thoughts? Random people who are scared for good reason? How accurate is their data or conclusions?

[pixy0stix]

May 17, 2018 10:56:44 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

pixy0stix , what do you mean by current rhetoric on facebook? By experts who are posting their thoughts? Random people who are scared for good reason? How accurate is their data or conclusions?

Tweets, posts, and a few shared tweets/post from other people.

One specifically saying we're at stage 4 from here - genocidewatch.net/genocide-2/8-stages-of-genocide/

ETA: That's why I said FB rhetoric. People are tapping into a collective consciousness and drawing conclusions.

[audette]

It's horrific.

ICE is nerve-wracking even when you have _everything_ in order with all the t's crossed and i's dotted. To be a minor that likely doesn't speak much (any?) english and at their mercy? Damn. Terrifying. To then have them separate you from your family? Horrific.

[picksthemusic]

I just... this is just heart shattering.

[taratru]

The long-term damage this administration is allowing to occur is horrifying and beyond shameful. I don't know how to fight this since Congress seems uninterested in making any changes to these policies. And the support they continue to garner is mind-boggling...these are children. I keep thinking that will matter, but I suppose Sandy Hook taught me that the only humans who matter are those in the womb, and those who come out as white males.

Christ, I hate this.

[elleblue]

I feel at turns angry, heartbroken, and helpless.

[mbcdefg]

 


JUST IN: Term animal 'doesn't go far enough' in describing MS-13 gang members - White House spokeswoman
 


But his comment wasn't about gang members, correct? It was about immigrants?

[biscoffcookies]

May 17, 2018 10:31:45 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

Even if Trump and his underlings are all magically removed from office tomorrow, it's going to take a long, LONG time to undo the damage and heartache he's already caused. 

What a horrible, heartless person leading a horrible, heartless bunch of people. And he has the nerve to call others "animals."

When I think of all the suffering, past and present, occurring because of this Administration nativisim (travel ban, cutting refugee caps, these policies about immigrants, kicking out the TPS people who have lived here for decades, etc.), and the margin of victory, it makes my breath literally catch in my chest.  And the lack of empathy.  Sessions recently gave remarks about the families who would be separated where he literally said, "It's not our fault they came here."  Holy f'in crap.  No, we didn't make them come here, but maybe step back to consider WHY they dragged their children thousands of miles and think about maybe how basic human decency means we maybe try to sympathize with people who are suffering and maybe, just maybe, see if we can help them instead of make them suffer more?

I want to track down the people who like, voted third party for Jill Stein because they were mad about Bernie not being the nominee, and make them look one of these children in the eyes.  IMO their temper tantrum-based vote is just as much to blame for all this suffering as the people who voted for 45 and 45 himself.  Same with people who didn't support 45 but just stayed home because they thought Hillary wasn't "likeable."  I want them all to understand what they have been a party to.

[sugarbear]

This is so horrifying. Thank you for collating into one post for further reading.

[pixy0stix]

May 17, 2018 13:02:36 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

JUST IN: Term animal 'doesn't go far enough' in describing MS-13 gang members - White House spokeswoman
 
But his comment wasn't about gang members, correct? It was about immigrants?

Entire exchange:

"There could be an MS-13 member I know about — if they don't reach a certain threshold, I cannot tell ICE about it," Mims said.

Trump's response: "We have people coming into the country — or trying to come in, we're stopping a lot of them — but we're taking people out of the country, you wouldn't believe how bad these people are. These aren't people. These are animals," the president said.

The Trumpers are trying to spin this that he was only talking about the MS-13 gang members. Which would be feasible if that was the ONLY instance in which he has said something like this, in such a context, but it's not. Huffpo (yeah I know, but it sources it's link), has other instances:

Last July in Ohio, Trump said “criminal aliens” were “animals” and then made a gruesome claim that they are murdering “young, beautiful” girls. Later that month, he said in New York that MS-13 “thugs” had “transformed peaceful parks and beautiful quiet neighborhoods into bloodstained killing fields” and “they are animals.”

He referred to a New York City terrorism suspect, a legal permanent resident who came to the U.S. on a diversity visa, as an “animal” in November.

In February, Trump referred to certain immigrants as “animals” who want people to suffer, and he accused Democrats of wanting to protect murderers. “I can’t get the Democrats ― and nobody has been able to for years ― to approve common-sense measures that, when we catch these animal killers, we can lock them up and throw away the keys.”

www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-calls-immigrants-animals-again_us_5afca15fe4b0779345d59e2a

[bronxgirl]

This is so disturbing and viscously cruel. It immediately makes me think of the holocaust and is so terrifying.

[StrawberryBlondie]

This is just horrifying, and it's an area where I truly feel helpless.

[Velar Fricative]

This is deplorable and horrifying.

[WOT?*]

The young lady my sister used to babysit has grown up and is an immigration rights attorney who, with her group, is handling as much as she (and they) can to stem the flow that has been pushing against them by this administration. I cannot comprehend the magnitude of heartlessness and despair they must battle each day when they come to work.


Thank you for posting. I hope you don't mind my copying to share with others on FB and elsewhere, with it all collected and collated here in one place. It's truly numbing to think that this is where we are as a country.

[downtoearth]

I am only through about 3 articles, but am so disheartened that this is how we treat or disregard the lives of those seeking a better life - especially children. I am also concerned about holding children on military bases - going to read more about this and come back with more informed questions and responses.

[wawa]

I'm commenting so I remember to come back and read. I don't want to be the lady crying on the bus so I can't do it right now.

[elleblue]

This is truly disgusting.

ICE claimed a Dreamer was “gang-affiliated” and tried to deport him. A federal judge ruled that ICE was lying. link

spoilered for NSFW language

SPOILER: Click to show

Matthew Chapman
@fawfulfan

Holy shit. ICE agents tried to deport a Dreamer by DOCTORING HIS WRITTEN TESTIMONY to make it look like he was a gang member when he wasn't.

A federal judge absolutely blew up at them for it and overruled them.