Local Congresswoman On Immigration: 'I've Never Seen A Policy More Vile, More Revolting'
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SUNRISE (CBSMiami) – The Trump Administration's implementation of a 'zero tolerance' border policy has received a lot of criticism in recent weeks.
One local lawmaker is joining the fight to end this practice which man are calling inhumane.
"I'm here to shine a massive spotlight on this issue," said Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Wasserman-Schultz announced Monday she's heading to Brownsville, Texas this weekend to see for herself what's going on.
She's meeting with local immigration leaders and activists to get more information.
The congresswoman and those at a special roundtable discussion in Sunrise are deeply concerned about the current policy that separates children from parents who cross into the U.S. illegally.
"I've never seen a policy more vile, more revolting, that makes me more sick than what the Trump administration is doing to children and their families by ripping them away from one another at the border," said Wasserman-Schultz.
People at the Roundtable told the congresswoman they're concerned the policy does not go along with U.S. morals, and sends a message that the country is not welcoming to immigrants.
They're also concerned of the damage separating children from their parents can do long term.
"I think that what we're not seeing is the trauma that's being inflicted on those children when they're taken away from their parents," said Andrea Montavon-Mckilip with Legal Aid Service of Broward. "That may not be something that's not readily apparent on their faces but that's going to affect them for the rest of their lives."
The Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed to CBS News that the old Job Corp location near Homestead, where kids could be seen Monday running around and playing, is housing unaccompanied children who showed up at the U.S. border alone, with no documentation.
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she's finding out little about who is currently there.
"In Homestead, those kids are mostly the 13 to 17-year-olds who have come unaccompanied by their parents," she said.
She wants to know if children who were separated from their parents at the border are also in South Florida.
She begins hearing about possible South Florida arrivals at Monday's roundtable meeting and was asked how could she not be aware of it.
"That's a damn good question. How do I not know? Why do I have to find out about this from immigration advocates?" she asked, implying that she intends to find out.
She's meeting with those advocates as she prepares for a visit to the border.
Wasserman Schultz is not alone with her fury over what's happening.
Miami Republican Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart tweeted, "It's totally unacceptable, for any reason, to purposely separate minor children from their parents." He calls it "unconscionable.
Fellow Republican Senator Marco Rubio said "Currently govt must either release parents & continue incentive for illegal entry with children or separate families by detaining parents. Neither is good. Let's changed the law to allow families to be held together...."
The policy is prompting protest at the border and across the country.
Florida governor Rick Scott, who's running as a Republican for the US Senate said, "what the country is witnessing right now is the byproduct of many years of bipartisan inaction and failure from our federal government."
He went on to say "they have failed to secure our borders which has resulted in this chaos."
Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski said, "At this particular time, it is being used as a weapon, weaponizing children to use as leverage against parents applying for asylum."
Wenski, fresh from a meeting bishops from throughout the nation held in Fort Lauderdale, said: "Separating babies from their mothers is not the answer and is immoral."
"We have people caught in an underclass, basically a new underclass. The last time we did that in the US, we called it Jim Crow."
Democratic Senator Bill Nelson tweeted "There is no legitimate reason to separate families at the border. None. This needs to stop. I have called on the Trump administration to end this inhumane policy immediately."
Democratic Congresswoman Frederica Wilson tweeted, "Do not believe the lies. THere is no law mandating that immigrant children must be separated from their parents."
