Homeland Security secretary John Kelly said Monday that he is considering separating illegal immigrant families.
“I would do almost anything to deter the people from Central America to getting on this very, very dangerous network that brings them up through Mexico into the United States,” Kelly said in an interview on CNN.
CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer pressed Kelly on whether reports that the DHS is considering separating illegal immigrant kids from their families are true.
“We have tremendous experience dealing with unaccompanied minors, we turn them over to HHS and they do a very good job putting them into foster care, or linking them up with family members in the United States,” Kelly replied. The retired Marine general added that “yes” he is considering the idea “in order to deter movement along this terrible network.”
“They will be cared for as we deal with their parents,” Kelly said. The DHS secretary went on to brush off Blitzer’s assertion that this idea would not settle well with the American public, saying, “It is more important to me Wolf to try and keep people off this awful network.”
This plan from the DHS which was previously reported by Reuters on Saturday was not received well by Democrats. Democratic Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar said, “Bottom line: separating mothers and children is wrong.”