Texas House Speaker calls for Trump to end family separation policy

Texas House Speaker Joe Straus (R) on Tuesday appealed to President Trump to end his administration’s practice of separating migrant families at the border. 

Straus, who is retiring at the end of his current term, wrote to Trump to express concerns about the “zero tolerance” immigration policy that has led to thousands of migrant children being separated from their parents.

{mosads}“Many of us are especially concerned here in Texas because thousands of children are being housed in our state and in facilities that our state agencies license,” he wrote.

“In order to at least begin addressing this issue, there is no need to wait for Congress to act,” he continued. “That’s why I respectfully ask that you move immediately to rescind the policy that [Attorney] General [Jeff] Sessions announced in April and any other policies that have led to an increasing family separations at the border.”

INBOX: In letter to @POTUS , @SpeakerStraus calls for halt to administration policy on family separations #txlege pic.twitter.com/NNDVPitPyp

— Evan Smith (@evanasmith) June 19, 2018

Straus, who has battled more conservative state lawmakers in the past, previously voiced concerns with the Trump administration’s policy on social media.

Straus noted in his letter that “there is no federal law requiring the separation of children and parents at the border.” He also argued that the practice has negative health effects on children and is ineffective in combatting illegal immigration. 

He urged Trump to act unilaterally to end family separations while Congress works to enact broader immigration reform.

“It is wrong to use these sacred, vulnerable children as a negotiating tool,” Straus wrote. “Their suffering should also not be used to deter illegal immigration.”

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the administration’s “zero tolerance” policy earlier this year, saying the Department of Justice would criminally prosecute all adults attempting to illegally cross the southern border into the U.S. As a result, families who crossed together would in some cases be separated, he said.

The practice of family separation has prompted bipartisan outcry, with lawmakers calling on the president to end the policy. Some members of Congress have crafted legislation to accomplish that in the meantime.

Trump has repeatedly blamed Democrats for the separation policy, despite his administration issuing the directive that led to the practice. On Monday, he doubled down, saying the U.S. “will not be a migrant camp and it will not be a refugee holding facility.”

Administration officials have claimed only Congress can fix the issue by passing immigration reform.