Dem rips Trump: US should not inflict ‘cruelty on children’ to deter asylum seekers

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) late Sunday blasted President Trump’s immigration policies after being blocked from entering an immigration detention facility over the weekend.

Merkley responded to a tweet from Trump last month claiming that Democrats were responsible for his administration’s policy separating immigrant children and parents at the border.

“Mr. President, the only ‘horrible law’ is YOUR policy. YOU have the power to change it. If you saw what I saw today, you would,” Merkley tweeted Sunday night.

{mosads}

“Never before has America deliberately inflicted cruelty on children to deter asylum seekers from finding refuge here. Never. And we never should,” he wrote.

Mr. President, the only “horrible law” is YOUR policy. YOU have the power to change it. If you saw what I saw today, you would.

Never before has America deliberately inflicted cruelty on children to deter asylum seekers from finding refuge here. Never. And we never should. https://t.co/WRTUyNOesr

— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) June 4, 2018 

Merkley attempted to enter an immigration detention center in Brownsville, Texas, on Sunday, but was unsuccessful.

“I am told that this former Walmart may currently be housing hundreds of refugee children who have been separated from their parents,” the senator wrote in the caption to a video he posted about his attempt.

The senator was blocked from entering the center and said that law enforcement was called on him. 

I was barred entry. Asked repeatedly to speak to a supervisor—he finally came out and said he can’t tell us anything. Police were called on us.

Children should never be ripped from their families & held in secretive detention centers. RT if you agree this is WRONG. pic.twitter.com/GVCuXNjR8d

— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) June 4, 2018

“The reason why I came is this new policy that the attorney general has in place of families that are waiting for the adjudication of their application for asylum in the U.S., and the children are being separated,” Merkley said in the video.

The Trump administration began enforcing a policy earlier this year requiring that immigrant parents and children be separated when they arrive at the U.S. seeking asylum.