Press Releases
Tonko Statement on President’s Order to Extend Incarceration of Children
Washington,
June 20, 2018
WASHINGTON – Congressman Paul D. Tonko issued the following statement responding to the President’s order this afternoon to legalize the extended incarceration of migrant children: “President Trump has shown a troubling willingness to use the suffering of children and families to try to gain political leverage for his misguided and un-American immigration policies. He created this crisis by ripping children from their parents, and he can end it just as quickly. Instead he has chosen to continue to criminalize asylum seekers and detain entire families. “Fixing our nation’s immigration challenges will take all of us coming together in a comprehensive and bipartisan fashion. Giving the green light for long-term incarceration of children doesn’t seem like a step toward any solution that the American people will accept from this President or his supporters in Congress” Between May 5 and June 9, the Trump Administration separated 2,342 children from their families under its new “Zero Tolerance” policy. ### |