Republicans’ Unease Grows Over Trump Policy Separating Families at Border
- Ryan says he’s uncomfortable with ‘zero tolerance’ policy
- Separation of children from parents becoming an election issue
A Honduran mother holds her two-year-old as U.S. Border Patrol as agents review their papers near the U.S.-Mexico border on June 12, in McAllen, Texas.
Photographer: John Moore/Getty ImagesTop Republican congressional leaders said Thursday they want to limit the separation of children from parents seeking asylum at the southern U.S. border, amid a public backlash against a Trump administration policy that threatens to become an issue in the November election.
House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters he’s not comfortable with the government’s “zero tolerance” policy, adding that “we don’t want kids to be separated from their parents.” Second-ranking Senate Republican John Cornyn of Texas said he’ll push legislation to keep parents and children together while the children await expedited status hearings.