the images of young migrants kept in pens on American soil would be enough to
make most politicians think twice about their approach to immigration but
President Trump is digging in the United States will not be a migrant camp and it
will not be a refugee holding facility will be you look at what's happening in
Europe you look at what's happening in other places we can't allow that to
happen to the United States not on my watch
predictably that show of defiance just made the administration's problem worse
and a little after 5:00 p.m. they trotted out the Secretary of Homeland
Security to try to deflect the issue to Congress so I want to provide you an
update on the illegal immigration crisis on our southern border the so-called
zero tolerance policy is supposed to apply to people who cross the border
illegally but one of the questions secretary Neilson got was how it's
affecting people who crossed legally by asking for asylum at an official port of
entry DHS is not separating families legitimately seeking asylum at ports of
entry that late in the day clean of attempt by secretary Neilson indicates
the administration is hearing the same reports that I am here in El Paso that
zero tolerance is intersecting with the asylum system which is supposed to be
separate asylum seekers are doing with the Trump administration asked them to
do presenting themselves at a port of entry and claiming a credible fear of
returning to their home country Customs and Border Protection isn't officially
denying asylum seekers entry to the US but they are telling people that the
detention centers were asylum seekers are being held whether claims are
processed or full according to aid workers people can spend days waiting to
make it asylum claim and in some cases adults accompanying minors making an
asylum claim can even be charged with a crime
one of the great concerns now is that we are beginning to hear reports of some
families who cross through the port of entry that were separated and prosecuted
criminally and and that's of tremendous concern to us because it's now no longer
individuals who cross illegally but now even individuals that present at a port
of entry and so this is something that we want to follow very very carefully
but what you're saying happened in this case was somebody did what they were
supposed to do in terms of presenting themselves at the port of entry with an
asylum claim at some point somehow they were this person was charged criminally
and separated from her child correct and the charge was illegal entry correct
Customs and Border Protection referred us to secretary Neilson remarks today
but even before the families were allowed to make their asylum claim
Garcia says some have run into problems on Friday
Garcia helped five families make asylum claims but he says two were turned away
and joined a growing group of asylum seekers crowding the port of entry can
you walk me through again this these are signs that you all are helping folks
make correct for people that are trying to present at the port of entry to
establish the categorical claim I am afraid and I'm asking for asylum so that
so there can be no question the part of a CBP officer that that in fact is what
they're facing in the person of this mom whether children or this dad with his
children and the kind of things you're saying is where you're from that what
your name is what your child's name is and your reason essentially correct you
know why it is that I'm here even if the sign it isn't helpful what we're trying
to do is document the fact that even individuals that clearly categorically
have expressed fear and asking for asylum are being turned away even though
seemingly officers will say we're not in effect in effect when you go to the
international line and you ask for asylum if you are turned away you have
been turned down okay so and I think that needs to be clear
and is that legal it is not legal our understanding according to the law is
that when an individual presence at the boundary line and they ask for asylum
they expressed fear and ask for asylum that CBP isn't obligated to process them
and to place them in the immigration process whereby that asylum claim can be
evaluated and adjudicated what are the officers say at least in your experience
well it's a pretty consistent message and it's a very interesting message
officers will say we don't have space our processing facility at the port were
fooled we don't have space and and then there's the the use of the word humane
and they're they're very good about saying we are not denying anyone the
opportunity were just saying not now are you seeing more people trying to
seek asylum since the zero tolerance policy came into effect no its
enforcement hasn't really had that big of an impact on white people are living
in salvador guatemala elude us and and what it is that they speak about when
they arrive what the zero tolerance is is doing is it's creating incredible
fear because for them for them the issue is they want to take my children away
you