The Trump Administration's Separation of Children and Parents at the Border - Statement by Vice President Joe Biden

Every day it seems we uncover new horrors perpetrated by President Trump and his administration against our most deeply held values in pursuit of their extreme anti-immigrant agenda. Of the thousands of children that the Trump Administration forcibly separated from their parents as part of its cruel “zero-tolerance” policy, 545 children are still separated from their parents years later. This Administration ripped babies from their mother’s arms, and then it seems, those parents were in many cases deported without their children and have not been found. It’s an outrage, a moral failing, and a stain on our national character.

There are many issues that are complicated, but some things are just black and white. Families belong together. That’s the very core of my immigration policy. We can secure our borders without treating immigrants as less than human. My Administration will treat asylum seekers at our border with dignity and ensure that they receive the fair, legal hearing to which they are entitled. I’ll send a bill to Congress on day one that will create a roadmap to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented individuals already living in and strengthening the United States. These are our neighbors and coworkers, and they are integral to our communities.