Dem: Transgender detention must change

The Department of Homeland Security needs to provide special protections for transgender people who are caught crossing the border illegally, Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) says.

Honda, who tweeted earlier this year that he is the “proud grandpa” of a transgender granddaughter, told The Hill’s Molly K. Hooper that Immigration and Customs Enforcement needs to adopt a flexible approach when detaining people who identify as transgender.

{mosads}”Those who are transgender should be placed appropriately, and if they are transgender female they should not be placed with men,” Honda says.

“It’s an inappropriate identity classification, and even then, people still have to be overseen as to [prevent] abuse and being picked on … being bullied because bullying will happen among all classification of people.”

Watch the video above to hear more from Honda about the detention policies.