Trump Border Czar Touts Return of Family Detention
NewsweekDec 25, 2024
Trump Team Plans Return of Family Detention for Migrants
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Above: Tom Homan, deputy director of US Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), speaks during a press conference regarding immigration policy in San Diego, California, US, on May 7, 2018. Image copyright: Ariana Dreshler/Bloomberg/Contributor via Getty Images
The Facts
US Pres.-elect Donald Trump's border czar Tom Homan announced plans to construct new family detention facilities to hold migrant families before deportation, marking a shift from the termination of that policy in 2021.
The detention facilities will be "soft-sided" tent structures, with the exact number of beds yet to be determined.
Homan, a former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), emphasized that illegal migrants with US-born children will have the choice to be deported together or separated, with parents deciding whether to take their children or leave them with relatives.
The Spin
Republican narrative
The reinstatement of family detention is essential for enforcing immigration laws and addressing the border crisis. Parents who entered illegally made their own choice to put their families in this position, and the new facilities will ensure humane treatment while maintaining order. This is the only way to stem the tide of illegal immigrants taking advantage of the US.
Democratic narrative
The return to family detention represents cruel and unnecessary suffering for vulnerable families and children. The policy disregards human rights, human dignity, and family unity while potentially causing severe psychological harm to detained children. This inhumane policy will do little to deter illegal migration and inflict suffering on children and even American citizens.
