Last night, Stephen Colbert sounded off about reports that children are being ripped from the arms of their illegal immigrant parents at the southern border:
The United States is using cruelty as a deterrent on our southern border. @StephenAtHome has something to say about it tonight. #LSSC pic.twitter.com/squXMKfMpk
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) June 15, 2018
Brian Stelter, for one, took notice:
This is certainly the most political Colbert has gotten in some time… https://t.co/o6PxKJMoMK
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) June 15, 2018
He also retweeted these tweets about the border situation:
"You're a parent," shouts WH correspondent @briankarem at @presssec, in a tense moment over the Trump administration's zero tolerance policies at the border.
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) June 14, 2018
Slate's @Dahlialithwick writes how its no time to be numb as migrant families are ripped apart at the border https://t.co/OvFxoJN9xL
— Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) June 14, 2018
This. Can’t. Go. On. https://t.co/cUvtzz4QcX
— S.E. Cupp (@secupp) June 15, 2018
Additionally, Stelter tweeted this late last month:
Re: the new Trump policy separating families that cross the border illegally:
Trump and Sessions may say the news coverage is working — "having a deterrent effect." @JoanWalsh: They may, but "where do we draw the line in our cruelty?" https://t.co/AzXTiey4pS— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) May 28, 2018
Now, one can certainly make the argument that what’s taking place at the border is unnecessarily cruel and even inhumane. But the idea that it began with Trump is just plain wrong:
Reminder from 2014 that what's going on today is because of catch-and-release policies that encouraged migration. https://t.co/bkS0Rbkagp pic.twitter.com/uxMAIqKNEB
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
The Obama admin KNEW this was an issue. Jeh Johnson: “We simply cannot have a situation where if you cross the border and are apprehended, you can count on being escorted to the nearest bus station.”https://t.co/uFopU4CdJ0 https://t.co/12rEyhMvOq
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
And as for separating families as a "deterrent," the Obama admin put families in detention centers as a "deterrent."
Jeh Johnson on family detention “l believe this is an effective deterrent"
https:// https://t.co/FSDjqquKkp https://t.co/12rEyhMvOq
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
So if you don't like family separation, fine. It's an ugly policy. But don't pretend this is anything new. And if Trump just reverted to Obama's policies, he's still be called a Nazi. https://t.co/OWliH9IQ4Q
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
FFS. Jeh Johnson and Obama put families in detention centers, which was/is called inhumane, as a “deterrent.” Literally. But nobody ever questioned it. Trump should just go back to Obama’s policies and be done with it. https://t.co/kBJisI5Y3w
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
It would be nice if the media would just once say Obama put families in detention centers as a deterrent.
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
1) Detaining families TOGETHER ≠ separating children from parents as a matter of policy and announcing it as such on national TV.
2) Source for claim that Obama detained immigrant families "as a deterrent"?— M.S. Bellows, Jr. (@msbellows) June 15, 2018
The nyt quoting Jeh Johnson https://t.co/dvg16xLMkS
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
Jeh Johnson from 2014 would be called a Nazi by Obama supporters if he said this working for Trump https://t.co/d8daJVR8Ik
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
DHS Sec. Jeh Johnson: “Those who cross our border today illegally, even children, are not eligible for an earned path to citizenship.”
— Chargé Heide Fulton (@USAmbHonduras) June 14, 2014
Flashback: Obama admin wanted to deport Central Americans kids faster as if they were from Mexico https://t.co/kmphzTcg7q
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
. @DHSgov 's Jeh Johnson wants the #border law changed. http://t.co/9J0En8qmj0 pic.twitter.com/jFtZ6buH1K
— GovExec (@GovExec) July 14, 2014
Jeh Johnson in 2014: “we will send you back” https://t.co/xFc1RwpB2q
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
Homeland Security Sec. Jeh Johnson on undocumented immigrants: 'We will send you back' http://t.co/8IxmKB3Wna #immigration #FLETC #nmpol
— CarlsbadCurrentArgus (@CCurrentArgus) July 12, 2014
DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson: "Our border is not open to illegal migration. Our msg- we will send you back." pic.twitter.com/m11inl5msl
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) July 11, 2014
Cc @brianstelter et al who think “deterrent” is something new. From 2014 ==> https://t.co/1txZYPhquX
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
Jeh Johnson hyping deportation as a deterrent for parents: "They need to see that they wasted their money." Yikes.
— Dara Lind (@DLind) July 10, 2014
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
Report dated January 10,2017, before Trump inaugurated:
"As a matter of procedure and policy, border agents routinely separate family members, including intentionally, as punishment—or “consequences”-through what DHS calls its Consequence Delivery System."https://t.co/aFcT8pUv9d— Jeryl Bier (@JerylBier) May 28, 2018
Oh, my.
Now, obviously, the fact that the Obama administration did it first is no excuse for any inhumane practices that are currently occurring at the border. But in the interest of intellectual honesty, the people criticizing the Trump administration over this need to acknowledge the Obama administration’s role as well. Otherwise, their outrage is meaningless.
"nobody ever questioned it"
Why do conservatives lie so much?https://t.co/vxeWxBvEmJ
— jukeboxgrad (@jukeboxgrad) June 15, 2018
Uncle. There was nowhere near the attention or hate directed at Obama as Trump https://t.co/9FoBatpBdw
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
Again, uncle. I know people criticized Obama then, just not the same way they’re attacking Trump. What’s more interesting is the number of libs who had no idea Obama did this. Why would that be? https://t.co/HNa7OWLNOS
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 15, 2018
We haven’t the faintest idea.
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