The US sees itself as a beacon of hope to the rest of the world; however, officials have been trying to control the consequences of such an idea. During Former President Trump’s presidency, he initiated a “zero tolerance” policy, and President Biden now has to deal with its effects.
The “zero-tolerance” policy was enacted on May 7, 2018 to “discourage illegal migration into the United States and to reduce the burden of processing asylum claims that Trump Administration officials contended are often fraudulent.” This policy made it so that anyone, even asylum seekers, are “referred to the DOJ for criminal prosecution for illegal entry or reentry,” as explained by the National Immigration Justice Center. However, this policy also had another effect: there are different rules for illegal immigrants of different ages––adults were prosecuted and the children (people younger than 18 years) were taken into custody.
“cruel and inhumane policy”
– a Department of homeland security official
The Biden Administration has said that around 3,900 children were separated from the families under this policy. A warehouse in South Texas held “hundreds of children [who] wait in a series of cages created by metal fencing… [with] 20 children inside… [there were] large foil sheets intended to serve as blankets… [A] teenager… was helping care for a young child… [whose] aunt was somewhere else in the facility.”
On October 16, “the Biden administration and… migrants who were separated from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border by the Trump administration reached a legal settlement… that allows the families to live and work in the U.S. for three years.” During this time, the immigrants can apply for asylum. Several families are also looking for financial compensation; however, when President Biden was asked if the families were to receive $450,000 each, he was clear to state that it was “not going to happen”. On the other hand, separated families are still seeking damages in civil court where the Biden Administration has been attempting to counter them.
There are several differences between the “zero-tolerance” policy and the policies that usually occur in the past. For example, the first time an illegal immigrant enters America, they are usually not prosecuted but deported back to their country. The second time someone illegally enters the country, they are then prosecuted. However, with this policy, they are to be prosecuted on their first offense.
To many it is clear that “whatever one thinks about border policy generally, there can be no disagreement that ripping babies and toddlers from their parents is morally repugnant.”