Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty
Politico- Pressure rose on President Donald Trump on Sunday to clarify or change his administration’s policies toward separating families that enter the United States illegally — including from within his own home.
A spokeswoman for Melania Trump said Sunday that the first lady “hates to see children separated from their families” and hopes both parties can reach a solution. She did not address whether she thought the administration should change its policy unilaterally.
“She believes we need to be a country that follows all laws, but also a country that governs with heart,” the statement said.
The first lady’s rare public comment on a policy issue came as Democrats have seized on the controversy, seeking access to facilities where the government is housing children. Two GOP lawmakers this weekend questioned Cabinet secretaries on whether people who present themselves at U.S. ports of entry and ask for asylum are being separated from their children.
The White House has continued to defend its policy as part of its “zero tolerance” approach to illegal immigration, and President Trump has said that he would reverse the policy if Democrats would work with him to enact immigration-law changes. But the White House’s claims that it’s merely enforcing U.S. laws have been largely drowned out by a series of reports of children being taken away from their parents, leading to rising pressure on Trump to justify his administration’s actions.
