On Friday, President Trump basically admitted, “We’ll continue traumatizing children until you give me what I want.” He then outlined what he wanted–funding his border wall and other immigration policies. He saw innocent children, crying for their mothers and fathers, as a convenient bargaining chip. He admitted it. Administration officials tried to spin his words differently, as they are regularly required to do, but the President spoke plainly enough. He told us what was in his heart.
I’d like to be outraged. But at this point, I’m just sad. Sad that this is what we’ve become.
This is not about immigration, per se. I support getting tougher to stop illegal entries. Crossing the border illegally is, well, illegal and should be treated as such. I agree with the recent decision to not permit domestic abuse as a reason for granting asylum. I agree that, with good intentions, we took in tens of thousands of foreigners as a result of natural or man-made crises–in Haiti, El Salvador, and elsewhere–but were wrong in allowing “temporary” to become “permanent.” I hadn’t realized how many such populations remained within our borders. I agree that laws should be followed.
But separating children from their parents is an elective policy. It’s not necessary. And it’s not humane. As Lindsey Graham said, the President could end it with one phone call. But he won’t stop the abuse of children until he gets what he wants. That is a sad commentary on his moral conscience, and on all of us.
Matthew 15:18-19: “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
