Joe Kennedy: Trump separating migrant families betrays American values

Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.) on Sunday accused President Trump of a “betrayal of American values” for the administration’s “zero tolerance” policy that separates migrant children from their parents.

“My family, on both sides, this is how we came to this country,” Kennedy told the Boston Globe. “It was extreme poverty and famine and a government that was unwilling to address the needs of its people.”

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The Massachusetts Democrat also responded to the president’s continued false claims that Democrats are to blame for the controversial measure.

“Look, it’s just flatly untrue,” Kennedy told the publication of the president’s claim. “The president of the United States is clearly uncomfortable that the American public understands that as a result of his policies that children are being ripped from their parents’ arms. And he’s doing this as punishment for parents trying to seek a better life for their children. It’s hard for me to understand a worse betrayal of American values than that.”

Trump told reporters Friday that he hated “the children being taken away,” adding “the Democrats have to change their law.”

Trump doubled down on those claims Monday in a series of tweets calling on Congress to change laws to end the practice.

In a series of tweets, Trump appeared to justify the strategy by claiming criminals are using children as a deception to cross the U.S. border.

Kennedy joined protesters on Sunday at the Texas border in efforts to combat the “zero tolerance” policy.

The Democratic lawmaker said he and Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) were denied entry to inspect a tent city facility in Tornillo, Texas, but were told by officials that the children were being taken care of. 

“One of the personnel said we treat these folks like they’re our kids,” Kennedy said. “Yeah, but they’re not your kids, they’re somebody else’s kids and they’re screaming for their parents.” 

Kennedy and O’Rourke are two of a handful of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who have criticized the policy.

The Associated Press reported that roughly 2,000 children were separated from their families in recent six-week period.