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40 ¦ DECEMBER 28, 2020 CLOSING ARGUMENT

EDITORIAL BOARD

What We Owe the Families
We Separated at the Border

In a secret program that started in 2017—and Representative Rosa DeLauro described family
which was later publicly announced as “zero separation as “state-sanctioned child abuse.” Some
tolerance”—the Trump Administration sepa- parents described hearing their children scream-
rated more than 5,500 migrant children from their ing for them from the next room as children were
parents. A stated goal was to deter would-be asylum taken from them. Others were unaware that they
seekers from crossing the southwest border illegally. might never see their children again, because
Even after a federal district court enjoined this pol- agents claimed that the youngsters were being
icy, our government continued to separate families, moved only temporarily.
affecting another approximately 1,110 children. Quite apart from the unspeakable trauma that
According to the Office of the Inspector Gen- these separations inflicted on the children and their
eral, due to inconsistent and inadequate record- parents, other Trump policies instituted around
keeping by the administration, the total number this time inflicted further damage, in effect slow-
of separated children is unknown, and the actual ing the release of these youngsters into long-term
number may never be known. Recent court filings child-appropriate placements, and leaving many
indicate the parents of some 545 of the separated to languish in warehouse-like facilities for weeks
children who remain in the U.S. have not yet been and even months. According to the Associated
found—and may never be. Press, the children had no books or toys; overhead

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