Trump Defends Migrant Family Separation Policy After Scandal Over Child's Death

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th December, 2018) US President Donald Trump once again defended on Sunday the practice of separating detained adult migrants from their children amid the scandal around the death of a seven-year-old girl from Guatemala in Border Patrol custody, which made headlines in recent days.

In recent days, the Trump administration has again been accused of cruelty to migrants amid the death of a girl from Guatemala. The incident, which caused a nation-wide outrage, occurred on December 6 near the city of Lordsburg, New Mexico. The seven-year-old girl with her father were part of a group of 163 migrants who illegally crossed the US border. Eight hours after being detained, the child had convulsions and high fever. According to the authorities, the girl did not eat or drink for several days. The human rights charity American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) claimed that the girl died of septic shock, high fever and dehydration.

"The Democrats policy of Child Seperation [sic] on the Border during the Obama Administration was far worse than the way we handle it now. Remember the 2014 picture of children in cages - the Obama years. However, if you don't separate, FAR more people will come. Smugglers use the kids!" Trump wrote on Twitter.

Trump was previously forced to stop the practice of separating the families of migrants after public discontent, and minor children are now kept with their parents.