John McCain: Separating families is ‘an affront to the decency of the American people’

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said separating families is “an affront to the decency of the American people,” a rebuke that comes amid widespread backlash to the Trump administration’s new zero tolerance policy to prosecute all illegal immigrants. “The administration’s current family separation policy is an affront to the decency of the American people, and contrary to principles and values upon which our nation was founded,” McCain said Monday evening on Twitter. “The administration has the power to rescind this policy. It should do so now.”

The Homeland Security Department confirmed Friday that nearly 2,000 minors were separated from accompanying adults between ports of entry at the border between April 19 and May 31. Minors who are split from their families as a result of the zero tolerance policy will be housed by the Health and Human Services Department.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen argued on Monday that prior administrations also separated children from adults. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen argued on Monday that prior administrations also separated children from adults.

“The Obama administration, the Bush administration all separated families,” Nielsen told reporters Monday evening. “They absolutely did. Their rate was less than ours but they absolutely did do this. This is not new.”

In the past, families were only separated if a parent-child relationship cannot be verified and if a child was at risk with the adult. In addition to these requirements, all adults now who illegally come to the U.S. between ports of entry instead of a border checkpoint are split from their children. Both Nielsen and White House press secretary Sarah Sanders urged Congress to make legislative changes to the policy.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, revealed Monday that he would introduce legislation in the near future to address the policy. “While these cases are pending, families should stay together. Children belong with their mothers and fathers," Cruz said in a statement.

McCain, 81, revealed in July 2017 he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, and has been in his home state since Dec. 17 recovering from various treatments.

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