Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, issued the following joint statement in response to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (IG) report, which determined the Administration misled Congress and the American people about its family separation policy with no plans for tracking children or ensuring reunification with their parents:
“This internal and independent report from the DHS Inspector General confirms that the Trump Administration did not take the steps necessary to track the children it separated from their families under its ‘zero tolerance’ policy. Contrary to the Administration’s earlier claims, the report demonstrates that there was no central database for tracking children and ensuring their eventual reunification with family members. It is unclear if this was the result of willful negligence or gross incompetence, but the result has been the endangerment of child welfare along with prolonged and possible permanent separation of families.
“The report also confirms that even as Secretary Nielsen publicly implored families to apply for asylum at lawful ports of entry, DHS repeatedly turned such families away at the ports—essentially giving them no choice but to attempt to cross illegally. Finally, the report confirms that the Administration repeatedly disregarded legal restrictions on the detention of children, keeping them detained in CBP holding cells far longer than the law allows.
“Based on this report, it is clear that the Administration lied to us and the American people about its family separation policy. We call on our Republican colleagues to hold this administration accountable for the actions that continue to shock the conscience of our nation. It is clear this Administration cannot be trusted to provide the truth on its own.”
