Merkley back in Texas demanding access to immigration camps

Merkley returns to immigration issue

Sen. Jeff Merkley is leading a Congressional delegation to the sprawling migrant camps in Texas, where at least 14,600 juveniles are being held.

Sen. Jeff Merkley is back in Texas, calling attention to what he calls the Trump administration’s “government-sponsored child abuse” at the U.S.-Mexico border. At least 14,600 migrant children are now in government captivity since the administration adopted hardball immigration policies last spring.

One of those children, a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl, died in custody last week.

Six months ago, Merkley ignited an international controversy by shining a light on the administration’s family separation policies. He showed up unannounced at several internment camps in South Texas trailed by a video crew. Merkley did gain entry into at least one camp, where he claimed he saw children locked in cages.

The issue became one of the most serious political crises in President Donald Trump’s turbulent tenure, with the exception of the Mueller investigation. The president argues the country is being overrun by migrants who are here illegally and that he will do what it takes to secure the borders.

After weeks of scathing criticism, Trump on June 20 signed an executive order suspending the family separation policy. “The Republicans want security and insist on security for our country,” he said. “We will have that at the same time we have compassion and want to keep families together. I’ll be signing something in a little while that will do that.”

Merkley claims that the administration’s alternative policy has been long-term imprisonment. Boys are incarcerated with their fathers, daughters with their mothers.

The 14,600 children now in custody have not been separated from their parents, the administration claims. Rather they were unaccompanied minors who attempted to cross the border without a parent. To put that in perspective, that’s bigger than the populations of The Dalles or La Grande.

An untold number of other migrant children who attempted to cross with their parents also have been locked up with their parents, Merkley said.

Merkley toured a camp in Dilley, Texas, on Friday where he met Patricia, a Honduran woman who’s been incarcerated with her 15-year-old daughter. The teen is not eating or sleeping due to depression, she reportedly told Merkley.

“The administration is trying to send a message,” Merkley said, “you come here, and we’ll put you through trauma, we’ll put your children through pain.”

Merkley is not going to the border solo this time. He’s leading a delegation of Democrats that includes Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota and Rep. Judy Chu of California.

The immigration issue hit close to home last June when more than 120 would-be asylum seekers were housed at the Federal Correctional Institute in Sheridan. Local lawyers mounted a massive pro-bono legal effort and managed to free all of them while they go through the asylum process.

Merkley’s leadership on the immigration issue raised his profile nationwide and fueled speculation he had designs on higher office. Asked about a presidential bid Friday, Merkley said he’s still pondering.

– Jeff Manning | jmanning@oregonian.com | 503-294-7606

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