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| Melania Trump visits child detention center as fate of families remains unclear | Melania Trump visits child detention center as fate of families remains unclear |
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| Melania Trump has made a surprise visit to the US-Mexico border a day after the president retreated on immigration policy and signed an executive order to end his policy of family separations amid enormous political pressure. | Melania Trump has made a surprise visit to the US-Mexico border a day after the president retreated on immigration policy and signed an executive order to end his policy of family separations amid enormous political pressure. |
| The first lady was taking part in briefings and attending a tour of a “nonprofit social services center for children who have entered the United States illegally and a customs and border patrol processing center”, according to a statement from her office. | The first lady was taking part in briefings and attending a tour of a “nonprofit social services center for children who have entered the United States illegally and a customs and border patrol processing center”, according to a statement from her office. |
| Her visit began with a tour of Upbring New Hope Children’s Shelter, a nonprofit center in McAllen, Texas, that houses roughly 60 children, mostly teenagers who have traveled from Central America. | Her visit began with a tour of Upbring New Hope Children’s Shelter, a nonprofit center in McAllen, Texas, that houses roughly 60 children, mostly teenagers who have traveled from Central America. |
| Sitting at a table with the health and human services secretary, Alex Azar, at a center in McAllen, Texas, she said: “How [can I] help these children to reunite with their families as quickly as possible?” | Sitting at a table with the health and human services secretary, Alex Azar, at a center in McAllen, Texas, she said: “How [can I] help these children to reunite with their families as quickly as possible?” |
| Thousands of children have been separated from their parents in recent weeks as a direct result of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy on unlawful border crossings. The authorities have been arresting, prosecuting and jailing adults while putting their children in separate detention camps. | Thousands of children have been separated from their parents in recent weeks as a direct result of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy on unlawful border crossings. The authorities have been arresting, prosecuting and jailing adults while putting their children in separate detention camps. |
| “Her goals are to thank law enforcement and social services providers for their hard work, lend support and hear more on how the administration can build upon the already existing efforts to reunite children with their families,” the statement said. | “Her goals are to thank law enforcement and social services providers for their hard work, lend support and hear more on how the administration can build upon the already existing efforts to reunite children with their families,” the statement said. |
| Donald Trump has said the first lady and his eldest daughter and advisor, Ivanka, influenced his decision to sign the executive order. | Donald Trump has said the first lady and his eldest daughter and advisor, Ivanka, influenced his decision to sign the executive order. |
| “Ivanka feels very strongly. My wife feels very strongly about it. I feel very strongly about it. I think anybody with a heart would feel very strongly about it,” Trump said signing the order. “We don’t like to see families separated. At the same time, we don’t want people coming into our country illegally.” | “Ivanka feels very strongly. My wife feels very strongly about it. I feel very strongly about it. I think anybody with a heart would feel very strongly about it,” Trump said signing the order. “We don’t like to see families separated. At the same time, we don’t want people coming into our country illegally.” |
| The immaculately clean room where Melania Trump sat smiling and chatting with officials offered an image of caring, as the walls behind the group were covered in neat, colorful children’s paintings, collages, and pictures of hearts and flowers. | The immaculately clean room where Melania Trump sat smiling and chatting with officials offered an image of caring, as the walls behind the group were covered in neat, colorful children’s paintings, collages, and pictures of hearts and flowers. |
| Meanwhile, an hour away, at the federal courthouse in Brownsville on Thursday morning, there was little sign of the president’s executive order taking effect. | Meanwhile, an hour away, at the federal courthouse in Brownsville on Thursday morning, there was little sign of the president’s executive order taking effect. |
| At a mass plea hearing involving 43 migrants, lawyers for the defendants informed the court that one 18 year-old Honduran defendant, Jenifer Johana Fuentes-Maradiaga, had been separated from her 14 year-old brother. | At a mass plea hearing involving 43 migrants, lawyers for the defendants informed the court that one 18 year-old Honduran defendant, Jenifer Johana Fuentes-Maradiaga, had been separated from her 14 year-old brother. |
| Lawyers for the government confirmed they did not know his whereabouts, so Judge Ignacio Torteya III postponed her sentencing until the afternoon. | Lawyers for the government confirmed they did not know his whereabouts, so Judge Ignacio Torteya III postponed her sentencing until the afternoon. |
| Rudy Rodriguez, a public defender representing Fuentes-Maradiaga, told the Guardian his client was “worried, concerned and obviously emotional” about being separated from her younger sibling, and confirmed the two had travelled from Honduras alone. | Rudy Rodriguez, a public defender representing Fuentes-Maradiaga, told the Guardian his client was “worried, concerned and obviously emotional” about being separated from her younger sibling, and confirmed the two had travelled from Honduras alone. |
| The pair had been separated two days ago, Rodriguez confirmed, adding that it was within the government’s power to exercise prosecutorial discretion for separated family members. | The pair had been separated two days ago, Rodriguez confirmed, adding that it was within the government’s power to exercise prosecutorial discretion for separated family members. |
| The Guardian’s reporters in Brownsville and at the other end of the Texas-Mexico border, in El Paso, have seen no evidence that parents who have been separated from their children are being released from jails or that their children are being released from foster families or detention camps to be reunited. | The Guardian’s reporters in Brownsville and at the other end of the Texas-Mexico border, in El Paso, have seen no evidence that parents who have been separated from their children are being released from jails or that their children are being released from foster families or detention camps to be reunited. |
| While Trump’s order halts separations, his administration has not said how it plans to reunite the more than 2,300 children who were taking from their parents at the border in recent weeks. | While Trump’s order halts separations, his administration has not said how it plans to reunite the more than 2,300 children who were taking from their parents at the border in recent weeks. |
| In Washington on Thursday, Trump did not confirm whether he was going to continue to prosecute migrants as criminals after they are caught crossing the border without authorization. | In Washington on Thursday, Trump did not confirm whether he was going to continue to prosecute migrants as criminals after they are caught crossing the border without authorization. |
| Melania Trump’s surprise visit comes amid disarray on Capitol Hill, with House Republican leaders scrambling to build support for an immigration bill. Hours before a vote on Thursday afternoon, Trump panned the effort as futile. | |
| The weeks-long drive to pass immigration legislation already faced an uphill battle before Trump questioned the utility of sending a bill to the Senate that could not pass. | The weeks-long drive to pass immigration legislation already faced an uphill battle before Trump questioned the utility of sending a bill to the Senate that could not pass. |
| “What is the purpose of the House doing good immigration bills when you need 9 votes by Democrats in the Senate, and the Dems are only looking to Obstruct (which they feel is good for them in the Mid-Terms),” Trump tweeted. | “What is the purpose of the House doing good immigration bills when you need 9 votes by Democrats in the Senate, and the Dems are only looking to Obstruct (which they feel is good for them in the Mid-Terms),” Trump tweeted. |
| Trump’s tweet was the latest wrinkle in a delicate negotiation process that began with a rebellion by a group of moderate Republicans launched an effort to force immigration votes that would protect young undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers. To avert the so-called “discharge petition” leadership convened negotiations between moderate and conservative members of the party – an effort that was compounded by heart-rending stories of migrant children being taken from their parents at the border. | Trump’s tweet was the latest wrinkle in a delicate negotiation process that began with a rebellion by a group of moderate Republicans launched an effort to force immigration votes that would protect young undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers. To avert the so-called “discharge petition” leadership convened negotiations between moderate and conservative members of the party – an effort that was compounded by heart-rending stories of migrant children being taken from their parents at the border. |
| Amid mounting public outrage, Republicans amended the proposal to include language that would end the administration’s practice of separating families | Amid mounting public outrage, Republicans amended the proposal to include language that would end the administration’s practice of separating families |
| The “compromise” bill would also provide $25bn for Trump’s border wall, and impose new restrictions on legal immigration while offering a narrow pathway to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers. The measure was not originally intended to address the issue of family separation. | The “compromise” bill would also provide $25bn for Trump’s border wall, and impose new restrictions on legal immigration while offering a narrow pathway to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers. The measure was not originally intended to address the issue of family separation. |
| Ahead of the vote, Mark Meadows, the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, said the measure still did not have enough support to pass. He urged leadership to postpone the vote so that they could iron out final outstanding agreements. | Ahead of the vote, Mark Meadows, the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, said the measure still did not have enough support to pass. He urged leadership to postpone the vote so that they could iron out final outstanding agreements. |
| “I don’t know that there’s time to work it out before a vote today,” he said. | “I don’t know that there’s time to work it out before a vote today,” he said. |
| Senate Republicans have moved forward with a different approach, hoping to pass a narrowly crafted standalone measure that would allow families to stay together in detention while increasing the number of federal immigration judges to ease the backlog of cases and expedite the process. | Senate Republicans have moved forward with a different approach, hoping to pass a narrowly crafted standalone measure that would allow families to stay together in detention while increasing the number of federal immigration judges to ease the backlog of cases and expedite the process. |
| The House will also vote on a more hardline measure, backed by a group of conservatives that was expected to fall short of the 218 votes needed for passage. | The House will also vote on a more hardline measure, backed by a group of conservatives that was expected to fall short of the 218 votes needed for passage. |
| During a weekly press conference before the vote, House speaker Paul Ryan would not entertain the idea of passing a standalone measure, saying he preferred to focus on the “darn good immigration measures” that would come up on the floor this afternoon. | During a weekly press conference before the vote, House speaker Paul Ryan would not entertain the idea of passing a standalone measure, saying he preferred to focus on the “darn good immigration measures” that would come up on the floor this afternoon. |
| “We will cross that bridge if we get to it,” Ryan told reporters. | “We will cross that bridge if we get to it,” Ryan told reporters. |
| The frustration between conservative members and leadership on the politically fraught issue erupted in plain view on Wednesday when Ryan and Meadows clashed openly on the House floor. | The frustration between conservative members and leadership on the politically fraught issue erupted in plain view on Wednesday when Ryan and Meadows clashed openly on the House floor. |
| Speaking to reporters after the confrontation, Meadows said: “There were things that were supposed to be in the compromise bill that everybody agreed to,” Meadows said. “The talking points do not match the legislative text.” | Speaking to reporters after the confrontation, Meadows said: “There were things that were supposed to be in the compromise bill that everybody agreed to,” Meadows said. “The talking points do not match the legislative text.” |
| Democrats are expected to reject the measure, which was designed without their input. | Democrats are expected to reject the measure, which was designed without their input. |
| “It may be a compromise with the devil but it’s not a compromise with the Democrats,” House minority leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters. | |
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