Many of the immigrants who come to the United States are trying to secure a better future for their families. With few opportunities for advancement in their countries of origin, the United States seems like an opportunity for a better life. However, if the Trump administration’s new measures to separate immigrant families are successful, that may all change.
President Trump is allegedly considering several new proposals that would target and split up migrant families in an attempt to curb illegal immigration. The administration would also attempt to deport immigrant parents in the United States who send for their children from other countries.
Targeting families
The Central American immigrants who are arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border are frequently sent to immigration detention centers. New measures propose to break up immigrant families by holding them in separate detention facilities. Parents would be held in federal detention centers, while their children would be held in shelters for minors run by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Another proposal would target immigrant parents currently residing in the United States. If these parents were to send for their children from their native country to live with them, the children would be accosted and detained in government facilities. If the children’s parents or other family members tried to regain custody or visit, law enforcement would target them for deportation.
An uncertain future
Public response to these new measures has been sharply divided. While some people applaud the measures’ severity, others say that they are unlawful and inhumane. Though the future of these proposals is uncertain, one thing is clear: The movement against immigration is not about to let up.
Since assuming office, President Trump has enacted several measures to decrease illegal immigration. Despite the administration’s crackdown, the number of arrests made at the U.S.-Mexico border decreased for several months. In response, the administration dramatically escalated its anti-immigration efforts. Last month saw the highest number of migrant arrests—about 39,000—since the president took office.
