This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-44538110
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Sessions: Child migrant camps 'not like Nazi concentration camps' | Sessions: Child migrant camps 'not like Nazi concentration camps' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has rejected claims US holding centres for child migrants separated from parents are like Nazi concentration camps. | US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has rejected claims US holding centres for child migrants separated from parents are like Nazi concentration camps. |
| America's top law official told Fox News the "zero tolerance" policy was about enforcing border security. | America's top law official told Fox News the "zero tolerance" policy was about enforcing border security. |
| President Donald Trump is meeting Republican lawmakers later to discuss a bill that proposes to curb the policy. | President Donald Trump is meeting Republican lawmakers later to discuss a bill that proposes to curb the policy. |
| US immigration officials say 2,342 children have been separated from 2,206 parents from 5 May to 9 June. | US immigration officials say 2,342 children have been separated from 2,206 parents from 5 May to 9 June. |
| Mr Sessions was asked on Fox News about a tweet by former CIA Director Michael Hayden likening what happened at Auschwitz concentration camp, where millions of Jews and other minorities were killed, to the separation of undocumented immigrant families at the US border. | Mr Sessions was asked on Fox News about a tweet by former CIA Director Michael Hayden likening what happened at Auschwitz concentration camp, where millions of Jews and other minorities were killed, to the separation of undocumented immigrant families at the US border. |
| "Well, it's a real exaggeration, of course," the Department of Justice chief said in Monday night's interview. | "Well, it's a real exaggeration, of course," the Department of Justice chief said in Monday night's interview. |
| "In Nazi Germany, they were keeping the Jews from leaving the country." | "In Nazi Germany, they were keeping the Jews from leaving the country." |
| Mr Sessions said: "Fundamentally, we are enforcing the law. Hopefully people will get the message and not break across the border unlawfully." | Mr Sessions said: "Fundamentally, we are enforcing the law. Hopefully people will get the message and not break across the border unlawfully." |
| Fox News host Laura Ingraham said the detention centres were "essentially summer camps" for migrant children. | Fox News host Laura Ingraham said the detention centres were "essentially summer camps" for migrant children. |
| It is not the first historical analogy inspired by the policy - former US First Lady Laura Bush has compared it to the internment of Japanese-Americans during the Second World War. | It is not the first historical analogy inspired by the policy - former US First Lady Laura Bush has compared it to the internment of Japanese-Americans during the Second World War. |
| Mr Trump tweeted on Tuesday that immigrants threatened "to pour into and infest our Country", provoking outrage from critics. | |
| What are migrants' countries of origin saying? | What are migrants' countries of origin saying? |
| Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray Caso said on Tuesday the separation of children from parents at the US border was "cruel and inhuman", and clearly violated human rights. | Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray Caso said on Tuesday the separation of children from parents at the US border was "cruel and inhuman", and clearly violated human rights. |
| El Salvador and Honduras have also asked the US to end the policy. | El Salvador and Honduras have also asked the US to end the policy. |
| The Salvadoran foreign ministry issued a statement on Monday saying the US policy was "exposing children to extremely adverse conditions". | The Salvadoran foreign ministry issued a statement on Monday saying the US policy was "exposing children to extremely adverse conditions". |
| Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said after a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: "Our position is that families should not be separated." | Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said after a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: "Our position is that families should not be separated." |
| Guatemala has refrained from criticising the US, saying only that it respects other nations' migration policy. | Guatemala has refrained from criticising the US, saying only that it respects other nations' migration policy. |
| In a speech to small business owners on Tuesday, Mr Trump accused Mexico of "doing nothing for us", and told the audience that smugglers and human traffickers "know these rules and regulations better" than the politicians who wrote them. | |
| What is the policy? | What is the policy? |
| Under the "zero-tolerance" crackdown that the Trump administration rolled out in May, all border crossers - including first-time offenders - are criminally charged and jailed pending a court appearance. | Under the "zero-tolerance" crackdown that the Trump administration rolled out in May, all border crossers - including first-time offenders - are criminally charged and jailed pending a court appearance. |
| Migrant children are not permitted to be incarcerated with their parents, and are kept in separate facilities maintained by the Department of Health and Human Services. | Migrant children are not permitted to be incarcerated with their parents, and are kept in separate facilities maintained by the Department of Health and Human Services. |
| Under previous US administrations, undocumented immigrants caught crossing the border for the first time tended to be issued with court summonses. | Under previous US administrations, undocumented immigrants caught crossing the border for the first time tended to be issued with court summonses. |
| But the Trump administration points out that many of those migrants never showed up to court. | But the Trump administration points out that many of those migrants never showed up to court. |
| The Trump administration has been disputing the terminology used to describe its immigration crackdown. | The Trump administration has been disputing the terminology used to describe its immigration crackdown. |
| The Department of Homeland Security has framed it as an "initiative" rather than "a policy". | The Department of Homeland Security has framed it as an "initiative" rather than "a policy". |
| It characterises the holding centres where children have been pictured behind metal chain-link enclosures with concrete floors as "shelters" instead of "cages". | It characterises the holding centres where children have been pictured behind metal chain-link enclosures with concrete floors as "shelters" instead of "cages". |
| A lawyer defending the detained immigrants tells the Boston Globe that several of her clients had been told by Border Patrol agents that their children were being taken to be bathed - a tactic that has drawn further comparisons to the Holocaust. | A lawyer defending the detained immigrants tells the Boston Globe that several of her clients had been told by Border Patrol agents that their children were being taken to be bathed - a tactic that has drawn further comparisons to the Holocaust. |
| As the hours passed the mothers began to realise their children were not going to be immediately returned, according to lawyer Azalea Aleman-Bendiks. | As the hours passed the mothers began to realise their children were not going to be immediately returned, according to lawyer Azalea Aleman-Bendiks. |
| What are Trump and lawmakers doing? | |
| On Tuesday afternoon, the Republican president is due to head to Congress, which is controlled by members of his party, as the House of Representatives prepares this week to vote on a moderate immigration bill. | On Tuesday afternoon, the Republican president is due to head to Congress, which is controlled by members of his party, as the House of Representatives prepares this week to vote on a moderate immigration bill. |
| The compromise measure would limit, but not outright ban family separations. It would also offer an eventual path to citizenship for undocumented adult immigrants, known as Dreamers, who entered the US as children. | The compromise measure would limit, but not outright ban family separations. It would also offer an eventual path to citizenship for undocumented adult immigrants, known as Dreamers, who entered the US as children. |
| The Republican legislation would also provide $25bn (£19bn) in funding for border security, including Mr Trump's planned US-Mexico wall. | The Republican legislation would also provide $25bn (£19bn) in funding for border security, including Mr Trump's planned US-Mexico wall. |
| The White House says Mr Trump supports the package. | The White House says Mr Trump supports the package. |
| A hardline conservative immigration bill is also in circulation, though it lacks enough support to be politically viable. | A hardline conservative immigration bill is also in circulation, though it lacks enough support to be politically viable. |
| Meanwhile, 21 Democratic state prosecutors demanded on Tuesday that the Department of Justice end the "zero tolerance" policy, arguing it "is ignoring its legal and moral obligation for the sake of a political agenda at the expense of children". | |
| "Put simply, the deliberate separation of children and their parents who seek lawful asylum in America is wrong," the letter from the attorneys general reads, adding that the practice is "contrary to American values". | |
| More on US immigration | More on US immigration |
| Was your family split up after entering the US? Are any of your family members currently being detained and kept apart? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Was your family split up after entering the US? Are any of your family members currently being detained and kept apart? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |