Trump signs Executive Order to reverse illegal migrant family separation at borders
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CNN – The Independent (UK): President Donald Trump has backed down to widespread criticism of an immigration policy that split families at the US border by signing an executive order that will put a stop to the practise.
The issue has plagued his administration after it was revealed that at least 2,000 children had been torn from their parents under a new “zero tolerance” immigration policy.
“We’re signing an executive order. I consider it to be a very important executive order. It’s about keeping families together, while at the same time being sure we have a very powerful, very strong border,” Trump said.
Trump’s climbdown came after he faced intense pressure from across the political spectrum and from religious, political and world leaders to halt the separations, which produced days of heartrending news coverage of crying children — some of whom were kept in cage-like detention centers.
The President claimed, though, that he isn’t backing down.
“The border is just as tough. But we do want to keep families together,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “We are keeping the family together.”
Earlier Wednesday after a frenzied morning in which he huddled with Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and other key officials, Trump first flagged his reversal saying, “I’ll be doing something that’s somewhat preemptive and ultimately will be matched by legislation I’m sure.”
