Trump Signs Executive Order to Keep Immigrant Families Together

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, signed an executive order on Wednesday, June 19, to address the issue of immigrant families being separated at the southern borders of the country. The new immigration policy in the U.S. that separates children from their immigrant parents has sparked outrage both in the United States and abroad. Mr. Trump had previously blamed Democrats for the separation of immigrant families. Fox News had reported earlier that the Trump administration was considering an executive order that would allow immigrant families who have crossed the border illegally to stay together longer than they are currently permitted. The release of heartbreaking scenes of children crying as they are separated from their parents has triggered severe opposition to Trump's immigration policies. Various groups in America, from clergy to senior business executives, have reacted to these actions. Before signing the executive order, Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House that he hoped his action would be consistent with a bill that is set to be voted on in Congress. Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, stated on Wednesday that the House would vote on a bill on Thursday to end the policy of separating children from immigrant families who illegally enter the U.S. from Mexico. He added, 'We oppose separating children from their parents. We can strengthen U.S. immigration policies without separating family members. The government says it wants Congress to act quickly, and we are taking action.' Mr. Ryan mentioned that the proposed bill would also 'elegantly' address the issue of young immigrants who have entered the U.S. illegally and have been residing in the country for years. No details about the bill have been released so far. Children separated from the families of illegal immigrants entering the U.S. from the Mexican border are held in tents under the 'zero tolerance' policy. Donald Trump promised during a meeting with a group of Republican members of Congress on Tuesday to support any law that is passed. Paul Ryan added that under this bill, parents who have entered the U.S. illegally would not be separated from their children, and instead, all family members would be detained by the Department of Homeland Security while legal proceedings against them are underway. He stated, 'Additional funding will be allocated to the Department of Homeland Security to ensure they have the necessary facilities to hold families during this period.' 'In summary, we will act with the goal of keeping family members together while enforcing immigration laws.' Earlier, Reuters reported, citing two sources at the Department of Homeland Security, that Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was preparing a plan for Donald Trump to sign, which would ensure that all members of immigrant families entering the U.S. illegally would be held in specialized detention centers. Donald Trump tweeted early Wednesday, 'I am working on something.' He added, 'This is the Democrats' fault. They do not vote for good immigration laws. They want open borders, which will lead to horrific crimes. Republicans want security. But I am working on something.' A poll conducted by Reuters-Ipsos published on Tuesday showed that only one in three American adults supports the Trump administration's immigration policy.