The homeland security secretary on Tuesday faced a grilling from senators in the wake of the President’s vulgar remarks about the origins of immigrants to the US — a conversation for which she was in the room.
The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, opened her remarks by warning Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen that she was not happy with what she was hearing out of DHS thus far.
Feinstein referenced recent reports that Nielsen’s department was continuing to consider a practice of separating children from parents when apprehended at the border — a policy first suggested last year by then-Secretary John Kelly.
“Candidly, woman to woman, I can’t believe that, and I hope you will clarify,” Feinstein said. “Not only would such a systemic policy infringe on the constitutional rights of parents. It is also callous and stunningly un-American.”
Feinstein added that a that pediatric group have said such a policy would have a negative impact on children.
“The America I know does not rip small children from their parents, and I can’t imagine the fear that a small child would feel if this would happen,” Feinstein said. “And for what? Because the child had no part in this.”
Nielsen, in her answers, said the department has “not made any policy decisions” on the topic, though she noted there are reasons at times to separate children from who they arrive in the US with, especially if there is a suspicion they are being trafficked.
Feinstein also referenced the President’s recent remarks about “shithole countries” in a meeting last week with fellow Judiciary member Sen. Dick Durbin and Nielsen, among other lawmakers.
“In light of the reports about the President’s recent comments, I hope you’re ready to specifically address one issue in particular and that’s the termination of Temporary Protected Status known as TPS for Haitians,” Feinstein said. “In light of the President’s comments, I’m forced to question whether the decision to terminate protected status for Haitian nationals was in fact racially motivated. I hope not.”