Child Separations by the Trump Administration: The Processes (and Inhumanity) Explained
The Trump policy is new. Separating families of those caught entering illegally is a brand-new practice. And it's terrible. There are, however, some misconceptions. Primarily about asylum seekers. I was under the impression, based on the media, that asylum seekers' kids were also being separated. Until I had a conversation with a public affairs officer within US Customs Protection and Border Patrol. This is how it works: Families who come into the US through a port of entry who are seeking asylum are vetted by the Border Patrol. They go through an identification process, a medical screening process, and a criminal background check. They're fingerprinted. If they have medical issues, they receive medical attention. If they have lice, they must go through a delousing process. The officer explained to me that sometimes people coming in for asylum have children with them who are not theirs and sometimes accompanied with a note from the parent giving the person &