Yesterday, New York City lawmakers, led by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer, joined immigration advocates and attorneys for minors who were separated from their families as a direct result of the Trump Administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy to discuss the Administration's failure to reunite children with their parents, and to demand that all families be reunited by the court-ordered deadline of July 26. 

“This is a humanitarian crisis,” said Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee.  “Children, as young as six months old, ripped from their parents’ arms. Some kids warehoused in what amount to prisons, not even allowed to call their parents. Enough is enough! We demand that the Administration comply with all of the court orders, and that it carry out a safe, orderly, and humane process to reunify these families. We will not rest until every child is safely back with his or her parents, and this sorry chapter in American history is finally closed.”

“Donald Trump’s inhumane ‘zero tolerance’ policy is not only a moral affront, but now the courts have also found it to be illegal. There can be no more delays and the Administration must move swiftly to reunite children separated from their parents, immediately," said Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (NY-7).

“We are witnessing a series of abrasive attacks by the Trump administration on the fundamental values of our country,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). “It remains critical that we stand united in our efforts to reunite separated immigrant children with their families, defend DACA beneficiaries, and ensure TPS protection to those who need it. We must ensure that America remains a beacon of hope and freedom for families today as well as future generations.”

“What the federal government has done to these children at the direction of the Trump White House is cruel and lawless,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “These children and families need our attention and our sustained outrage. We must demand every day that the federal government return these children to their parents and end its policy of terrorizing children and families to scare legitimate asylum-seekers and other migrants away from our country. It’s the definition of un-American and it must end.”

“The child separation policy of this Administration at the border was abhorrent to begin with, but their inability to properly reunite these children with their families is just as disgraceful. Congress must play an active role in holding this Administration accountable, by passing meaningful legislation like the ‘Keep Families Together Act’ and the ‘Central America Family Protection and Reunification Act’ to undo these horrific policies and help reunite families. My colleagues in New York and I will continue to hold their feet to the fire and work to ensure this is done as fast and humanely as possible,” said Congressman Eliot Engel (NY-16).  

"The harm and trauma that this Administration has inflicted on these children and families through the ‘zero tolerance’ policy is inexcusable and inhumane. The fact that there are still children waiting to be reunited with their parents because this administration failed to keep proper records shows that there was never a plan to reunite these families. The cruelty of this policy knows no bounds. We will continue to hold this administration accountable for reuniting each and every child with their parent or guardian and I will continue to demand that the Republicans on the Oversight Committee allow us to do our job and hold hearings on this policy and its fallout," said Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (NY-12).

"Donald Trump failed immigrant families by missing the deadline to reunify them. To this day, countless number of families remain separated.  This human rights violation should never be forgotten. Donald Trump bears full responsibility for this crisis," said Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (NY-9). 

"Family separation is a crisis of the President’s own making. The Trump administration deliberately abused children by tearing them from their families and imprisoning many of them in cages. Make no mistake: there will be lasting consequences of the Administration’s cruelty– for these children, for their families, and for the reputation of our nation.  It is imperative that these misdeeds are rectified without delay so children and their family members can begin to heal from the Administration’s unconscionable policies," said Congresswoman Nita Lowey (NY-17).

"The cameras of history are rolling, and what will be said of this administration separating children from their family will be deservingly unkind The facility I visited informed me that many of the children arrived with birth certificates in hand, which tells me that these are asylum seekers. Rather than answer their call and give refuge, this administration has exacerbated their trauma, stuffing children in cages or sending them thousands of miles away from their families. The deadline is fast approaching to reunify children with their family, and the Trump administration better meet that date, otherwise we will take all necessary steps to ensure compliance and end this humanitarian crisis," said Congressman Gregory Meeks (NY-5).

"Last month, I traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border where I visited detention and processing centers, and what I saw was horrible and unacceptable. I saw kids being held in cages lying down on mats under bright lights with thin tin foil-like blankets on top of them. I also met with distraught mothers, most of whom had no idea where their children are located. It is appalling that these families remain separated, and that the President still has no concrete plan to reunite them. After I returned from the border, I introduced two pieces of legislation – the Better Care for Kids Act (H.R. 6223) and the Child Advocate Program Reauthorization Act (H.R. 6223) – which seek to improve conditions for kids who have been separated from their parents. Children who were ripped away from their parents need to be back with their families, and it is essential that pressure be kept on the Trump Administration to make that happen as quickly as possible," said Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-6). 

“The Trump Administration continues to sink to new lows,” said Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8). “Tearing children, some of whom are less than a year old, from their families was cruel, inhumane and an ineffective immigration strategy. Failing to reunite those children with their families, despite court orders to do so, is pure Trump Administration incompetence. History will not judge either kindly.”

“President Trump’s zero tolerance border policies have done tremendous harm to the families seeking asylum and this country’s reputation as a fair and just nation. What we’re calling for - including a public plan for family reunifications - won’t undo the damage, but will at least show that we are working to right these shameful wrongs. It’s basic human decency, something this administration seems to have completely forgotten about,” said New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson.

“It is unconscionable that the Trump regime has separated immigrant families and then claims to not know where the parents are for 71 of the children who were ripped away from their mothers and fathers. This crisis will not end until every child is reunited with their parents and every family is treated with dignity and has due process. New Yorkers will continue hitting the streets, the phones and the ballot boxes to make our message heard: families belong together," said New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman. 

"I call on all ICE officers to take a stand against implementing inhumane policies that separate families and children, and instead to support a process of bringing them back together. The faith community knows that families hold our society together, and that breaking up that fabric will result in irreparable harm. ICE officers have an opportunity to make this better, and faith leaders expect them to take that opportunity and stop the break up of our communities and families," said New Sanctuary Coalition Executive Director Ravi Ragbir. 

“The ongoing chaotic and shifting attempts to reunite children with their parents is problematic and troubling.  As important as the expeditious reuniting of these families is right now, so is it essential that an effective plan to provide access to needed legal and social services when the families are reunited. Be set in place. Catholic Charities has been strongly advocating and collaborating with our national partners to urgently advance this.  Catholic Charities is prepared and committed, along with other legal and social services agencies, to ensure access to these services when families are reunited in New York," said the Catholic Charities of New York.

"We are appalled that the federal government, which recklessly and without justification separated vulnerable young children from their parents, cannot figure out how to reunify those families in a remotely humane way.  Our clients – children separated from their parents -- need to know where they are being sent and whether they are being summarily deported, released with their parents, or placed in family jails lacking in supportive services for children.  The failure to provide this basic information is causing more trauma to these children who have already suffered enough.  The parents should be sent to New York to be reunified with their children here – immediately," said Adriene Holder, Attorney in Charge, Civil Practice, The Legal Aid Society. 

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