The fate of 2,300 children wrested from their parents at the U.S. border with Mexico remained unclear on Friday two days after President Donald Trump ordered an end to migrant family separations, as he accused Democrats of spinning “phony” tales of suffering for electoral gain.
Government agencies were unable to say what would happen to the children already sent to tent camps and other facilities spread across the country while their parents were charged with immigration offences. Having been forced into a climbdown on the issue of immigration, Mr. Trump swung back into fighting mode — insisting he remained committed to the “zero tolerance” policy that aims to deter the flow of migrants from Central America.
Strong southern border
“We must maintain a Strong Southern Border. We cannot allow our Country to be overrun by illegal immigrants as the Democrats tell their phony stories of sadness and grief, hoping it will help them in the elections,” he tweeted.
In a possible indication of the scope of the crackdown the Trump administration envisions, Time magazine reported that the U.S. Navy is preparing plans to build detention centres for tens of thousands of immigrants on remote bases in support of the “zero tolerance” policy.
On Thursday, divided congressional Republicans failed to pass one immigration reform Bill, and a second proposal that includes language ending family separations was put off until next week.
