Trump's U-turn on child separation policy

President Trump briskly retreated from his earlier stance on his controversial "zero-tolerance" immigration policy on June 20. He signed an executive order to retain the asylum-seeker parents and children together at the migrant detention centres until their legal cases are resolved. However, the executive order required alteration of an earlier court order that held how long children may be detained. Trump's executive order seems to be confusing and imprecise as it did not stipulate measures about families already separated.
The "Zero-tolerance" border policy to stop asylum-seekers' illegal entry was introduced in May. The Attorney General Jeff Sessions held, "If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you and that child will be separated from you as required by law."
President Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Kirstjen Nielson, Homeland Security Secretary, all three were defiant against mounting repercussion over the administration's "zero-tolerance" immigration policy. They were disinclined to unilaterally reverse the children separation policy which generated both nationwide and international indignation and outcry.
The United Nations condemned the children separation practice as "unconscionable." The Pope Francis deplored the policy. The Amnesty International also criticised the same as "nothing short of torture." Even First Lady Melania Trump and daughter Ivanka differed with the President on the issue. Melania Trump in a statement maintained, "Both sides" need to resolve the crisis.
Last of all, Trump conceded to huge public indignation, strong protests, pressure and criticisms against his administration's contentious and cruel "zero-tolerance" immigration policy. Trump's ruling came a day after his dialogue with the Republican Congressional leaders at the Capitol Hill. They were alarmed that their re-election was at risk in the upcoming mid-term Congressional elections in November.
Both the Republicans and the Democrats defined the separation policy as "un-American" and "cruel" challenging the US principles and values. Analysts pointed out the controversial policy of splitting-up of children are not mandated by any regulation or court verdict of the United States.
The Trump administration was engaged in implementing the harsh and "zero-tolerance" approach to arrest and charge any one illegally crossing the border. Under the policy, illegal asylum-seekers were detained for prosecution and their children were separated. According to U.S. officials, almost 2,345 accompanied minor children were separated from their parents or guardians during May 5-June 9. They were held in metal cage-like detention centres.
Judah Grunstein in his recent piece (June 20) to World Politics Review observed, "In essence, the U.S. government is inflicting emotional sufferings to children to deter future asylum-seekers and using detained children as leverage in legislative negotiations in Congress."
Notably, both former President George W. Bush and Barak Obama generally refrained from separating children from their detained parents at the border intersections. "During the Obama administration there was no policy in place that resulted in the systematic separation of families at the border, like we are now seeing under the Trump administration," said Sarah Pierce, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.
The split-up of children from their asylum-seeker parents was strongly critiqued by former First Ladies, namely, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama. Laura Bush, the spouse of former Republican President George W. Bush, termed the children separation policy as "cruel" and "immoral." As expected, the contentious and hard-line action of the Trump administration caused huge hullaballoo in the country.
Moreover, Trump blamed his opponent Democrats for inflaming the crisis by stalling legislation to fight illegal immigration to the country. On June 19, he tweeted, "Democrats are the problem," alleging that his opponents "don't care about crime and want illegal immigrants, no matter how bad they may be, to pour into to infest our Country…" On the other hand, the Democrats maintained that the humanitarian crisis is created by Trump himself. They held him responsible for "using children as pawns." While speaking to reporters Kristen Clarke, head of the Lawyers' Committee on Civil Rights, held, "Holding children hostage in concentration camps is the new political bargaining chip of this administration and it is unconscionable."
The Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona has observed that the Trump administration's family separation policy is "an affront to the decency of American people and contrary to principles and values upon which the nation was founded." Senator Orrin G. Hatch, another Republican (Utah) along with 12 other Republican Senators transmitted a letter to the Justice Department to halt separation of families up until relevant legislation is approved by the Congress.
The House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said the callous policy "leaves a dark stain on our nation." "Ripping vulnerable little children away from their parents is an utter atrocity that debases America's values and our legacy as a beacon of hope, opportunity and freedom." The main business groups namely, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable have also condemned the cruel policy.
Trump's approval rating particularly on the immigration issue plummeted. Thus, according to a Quinnipiac University National Survey, the US public opinion is sharply divided along partisan positions on the family separations. While two-thirds of all electorates are opposed to Trump's immigration policy, around 55 per cent of Trump's Republicans are supporting. However, Boris Epshteyn, chief political analyst at Sinclair Broadcast Group, said President Trump "will continue to be tough on illegal immigration, which is important to him and his base, while also being humane."
However, Attorney Peter Schev in a statement alleged, "President Trump's Executive Order is deceptive and dishonest and shows the total disarray of his policy regarding detained immigrant children." He added that he intends to contest the Trump administration in the court and strive for an order for rapid reunification of families.
It may be concluded that while President Trump has overturned his six-week-old policy of separating children from parents, the debate on the U.S. immigration policy has resurfaced once more. His hard-nosed immigration policy is likely to impact the outcome of the Republican contenders in the upcoming mid-term elections. Of the total 435 seats of the House of Representatives, quite a lot of House Republican seats remain challenged with re-election risks due to surge in public outrage over Trump administration's immigration and foreign policy.

Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed is a former Professor and Chairman at Department of Political Science, University of Dhaka.
kamal112au@ yahoo.com