Pundits and the media have conflated several stories about immigration — two of them years old — into a full-fledged freakout over the treatment of illegal immigrant children and during exactly whose administration those pictures of cages and the “prison bus” were taken.
In short, we’ve got an ACLU report on alleged incidents of child abuse, the photo of children in cages, and the photo of the “prison bus” (which reportedly was used for educational field trips). Thankfully, tweeter @AG_Conservative created a thread to sort things out a bit. Have a look:
Time for some facts. There are 3 separate immigration stories that are seemingly being conflated by the media & pundits.
Story 1: ACLU report on migrants children being abused.
Story 2: Feds lost track of ~1500 minor immigrants.
Story 3: Separations of families at the border.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) May 28, 2018
Story 1: This story is based on an ACLU report that covers 2009-2014. It has nothing to do with the Trump admin or separating families as it mostly relates to unaccompanied minors at the border. However, the abuses were serious and systematic. Very possible many still occurring.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) May 28, 2018
Story 2: This is being covered as a scandal, but I do not believe it is one. Essentially thousands of unaccompanied minors were processed and then released to family members or others in the US. When HHS tried to check on them later, ~1500/8000 didn't respond to the survey.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) May 28, 2018
There are quite a few reasons why the adults taking care of them might ignore an HHS follow up. That doesn't meant they are lost or something bad happened. The only alternative to keep track of them would be for us to keep them detained, which pro-immigration advocates oppose.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) May 28, 2018
Story 3: Many families crossing the border, including those seeking asylum, are now being separated as a deterrent. The reason for this is that the Trump admin has created a policy of referring EVERY illegal border crossing for federal prosecution (even asylum seekers).
Cont.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) May 28, 2018
Is it true that the Obama admin never separated families? No, Obama's admin did this too in some cases, but it happens way more often with the new policy. The Obama admin had several camps where they would detain families together while their cases were being processed.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) May 28, 2018
Is this an effective deterrent? Evidence suggests that it has deterred some people, but that doesn't make it a good policy. There is a tough balance between deterrence and being humane, especially when kids are involved. Asylum seekers should be kept together imo.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) May 28, 2018
To conclude: These are 3 very different stories. All of them are complex, but people who try to blend them all together or suggest they are unique to the Trump administration are either being dishonest or ignorant.
The media needs to do a better job explaining them.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) May 28, 2018
We might add that Congress needs to do a better job explaining to ICE exactly what their job is since Congress makes the laws.
This is an important thread on the immigration situation at the border https://t.co/Mp4lMlC5yO
— Fusilli Spock (@awstar11) May 28, 2018
This is a good, thoughtful thread on a complex set of problems. https://t.co/01m5DVjmqH
— Mo Mo (@molratty) May 28, 2018
Thread.
Though I unequivocally support separating them. https://t.co/RnpQ9MSI3E
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) May 28, 2018
Useful explainer. https://t.co/oTcvpGJK3A
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) May 28, 2018
Thread…I agree with virtually everything here.
The facts and nuance here..it matters. A lot. https://t.co/FCplzst8yr
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) May 28, 2018
THANK YOU.
No, seriously. Thank you for cutting through the crap and breaking this down. https://t.co/4cgx2gs8qT
— Angela (one of many) (@angelaisms) May 28, 2018
Great thread. Regarding media being “either being dishonest or ignorant” I’m open to considering that it’s both. https://t.co/p3xVLaeeUF
— Robert Howard (@rlh) May 28, 2018
You'll learn more in this thread of less than 10 tweets than watching @CNN for a week. https://t.co/FWaDMmCqjv
— IT Guy (@ITGuy1959) May 28, 2018
* * *
Update:
As far as Story No. 2 goes, here’s some backup from ProPublica’s immigration reporter Hannah Dreier talking about those “missing” kids:
Good corrective to social media hysteria over the weekend about 1,500 missing immigrant kids. There are 1,475 minors whose caregivers didn't respond to a government survey. They're not lost. And they weren't ripped from their parents at the border. https://t.co/LanSYznnro
— Hannah Dreier (@hannahdreier) May 28, 2018
Related:
Which administration? Priest needs to check the freshness date on this ACLU report https://t.co/wvlg4UsVAN
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 26, 2018
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