The policy of separating children from parents illegally seeking entry at the United States border is dividing Americans. More Republicans spoke out against the policy as Democrats called for changes. İn April, the administration of President Donald Trump announced a “zero-tolerance” policy that brings legal action in all cases of illegal entry at the U.S. border.

Under the policy, U.S. federal agents separate parents, who are seeking asylum or attempting to enter the U.S. illegally, from their children. U.S. law bans detaining children with their parents because the children are not charged with a crime and the parents are. But the law was rarely enforced under both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Over a six-week period ending in May, U.S. Homeland Security officials said that nearly 2,000 children had been separated from their families. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions defended the policy during a speech in Fort Wayne, Indiana last week. He said, “Having children does not give you immunityfrom arrest and prosecution.”

Sessions added, “The law requires that children who cannot be with their parents be placed within the custody of DHS [Department of Homeland Security] within 72 hours, something entirely different than the criminal justice system.”

Aliqismet BADALOV,

“Khalq qazeti”