Madaleno And Elected Officials Denounce the Separation of Immigrant Children from Their Families by Trump Administration
Larry Hogan Called On To Take Action
Kensington, MD — State Senator and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rich Madaleno was joined by federal and state officials outside the Howard County Detention Center in Jessup, Maryland today to decry the Trump Administration’s policy of separating immigrant children from their parents as part of an inhumane crack-down on undocumented immigrants. Madaleno called for Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to take action beyond tweeting in the face of these heartless actions.
“Today we stand outside a detention facility in Maryland, a symbol of the detention centers that are housing children who have been ripped away from their parents, held in a cruel game of politics perpetrated by Donald Trump and the Republican Party,” said Madaleno. “We have seen the pictures of crying children, and witnessed infants being ripped away from nursing mothers. Most of the attention has been focused on detention centers in Texas, but what’s not readily known is that there are children put into detention centers across the country, including right here in Maryland.”
“Separating these families and housing children in detention centers has created a huge outcry of anger and disbelief. How could this happen in the United States? Former first lady Laura Bush has said that the temporary detention centers created ‘are eerily reminiscent of the Japanese American internment camps of World War II, now considered to have been one of the most shameful episodes in U.S. history.’ What has Larry Hogan said or done? A tweet. Mimicking the President’s preferred method of communicating, Hogan has chosen once again his favorite position on so many issues resulting from the policies of the Trump administration: a meek tweet and reluctant acceptance.”
“Today I am calling out Larry Hogan on his weak failure to engage. In the national Republican platform it says that family is the foundation of civil society. Yet, in an incredibly audacious act of hypocrisy, Trump and his Republican allies are literally tearing families apart. Larry Hogan says “together we are strong.” Apparently the “together” doesn’t include these families.”
“I call on Larry Hogan to:
1. Fully denounce the actions of the Trump administration and call for the families to be reunited;
2. Refuse to use any state resources, including our National Guard, to support these horrific actions; and
3. Officially resign from the Republican Party if these repugnant actions by the Republican administration continue. You can’t have it both ways: raising money for the national party and party-endorsed candidates while claiming to be a bipartisan governor. Hypocrisy may be the style of the Trump-Republican Party, but it wears poorly when claiming to uphold Maryland values.”
“Finally, I end with more wise words from former first lady Laura Bush: ‘Americans pride ourselves on being a moral nation, on being the nation that sends humanitarian relief to places devastated by natural disasters or famine or war. We pride ourselves on believing that people should be seen for the content of their character, not the color of their skin. We pride ourselves on acceptance. If we are truly that country, then it is our obligation to reunite these detained children with their parents — and to stop separating parents and children in the first place.’ ”
To support organizations who are working to help these families, here are some organizations you may want to consider:
· We Belong Together
· United We Dream
· Womens Refugee Commission
· ACLU
· Kids In Need of Defense (KIND)
· Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project
· Human Rights First
· La Union del Pueblo Entero
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To learn more, visit: madalenoformaryland.com.
Like on Facebook: www.facebook.com/richardmadaleno and www.facebook.com/Luwanda4MD.
Follow on Twitter:@RichMadaleno and @Luwanda4MD
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BY AUTHORITY: Marylanders for Madaleno-Jenkins. Linda Eisenstadt, Treasurer.
ADDENDUM:
After Rich Madaleno made this announcement at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, June 19, Larry Hogan felt the pressure mounting and decided to call back the Maryland National Guard troopers and helicopters that were deployed on the American border in New Mexico.
However, the three Maryland facilities used by ICE remain to be accounted for, as there is strong suspicion these could be used in the context of the Trump policy tearing families apart. After all, such a facility was discovered in Northern Virginia hours ago.
