Half-Assed Nazi Wannabees
What’s the difference between the kids at that Tornillo camp and the victims at Auschwitz? No tattooed serial numbers. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/06/21/texas-sheriff-refuses-to-help-feds-guard-migrant-children-tent-city-saying-its-wrong/?utm_term=.6f523ca9c25c
The Nazis were meticulous about keeping records. They could have reunited the families they separated at concentration camps if they’d wanted to. In fact, they may have gotten the victims to comply with being tattooed by saying it would help the eventual reunions.
The Trump/Miller/Sessions Nazi Wannabees have put so little thought into their half-baked “zero tolerance” policy that some kids are almost sure to get lost. Apparently, in addition to confiscating toys from them, the contact information their parents gave them was sometimes confiscated and destroyed – or just lost. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/6/20/1773942/-HHS-Official-Tells-WH-Reporter-No-Effort-to-Be-Made-To-Reunite-Kids-With-Parents
For what it’s worth, most if not all US-based airlines have announced policies against shipping kids away from their parents. United Airlines posted a policy that might forbid flying kids back to their parents. I’m sure they didn’t mean that, but it got me thinking about what else airlines could and should do. I believe the captain on any airline flight can refuse to accept a passenger, and have him/her removed before takeoff. Anyone who looks like an INS agent traveling with any children who don’t look like they are his should be put off a plane unless he has proof of his relationship to the child or children. Actually, he shouldn’t be allowed to board in the first place.
Airlines should at least refuse to take anyone on a repatriation flight unless it is proven that no children are being left behind. This could create a loophole almost anyone could use, by saying he has a child or sibling who was forcibly separated from him. With the chaotic way INS has been doing it, with few or no records, it would be VERY difficult to refute such a claim. Foreign flag airlines should do the same, and refer any attempt to book a repatriation flight or ticket to their country’s nearest embassy, and the US ambassador to that country (if we have one) should be summoned to explain to that country’s officials.
We should start lining up volunteers fluent in Spanish to interview separated children and help reestablish contact with their parents.
And we should make sure all those volunteers are registered to vote.