The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is slamming President Joe Biden after the Justice Department said it would end settlement negotiations with attorneys representing migrant families separated at the border.
In a tweet on Thursday, the ACLU wrote, “After our government deliberately abused young children by separating them from their families, today they’ve walked away from negotiations to help those who were traumatized heal.”
“Candidate Biden promised to help these children and families. But today, President Biden is shamefully playing politics with their lives and futures. We will never forget who takes action to help these families — and who turns their backs on them,” it added.
Candidate Biden promised to help these children and families. But today, President Biden is shamefully playing politics with their lives and futures.
— ACLU (@ACLU) December 16, 2021
We will never forget who takes action to help these families — and who turns their backs on them.
Earlier this year, the administration faced criticism after it was reported that the potential payments to families could be as high as $450,000.
As CNN reports, “More than 3,000 children were separated from their families at the US-Mexico border under former President Donald Trump’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy, and attorneys are still trying to reach the parents of 270 migrant children, according to a November court filing in an ongoing family separation case.”
The ACLU filed a lawsuit in 2019 seeking damages for the toll on the families.
ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt told CNN that the decision to end the settlement negotiations is “shameful.”
“The U.S. government deliberately abused young children, and yet the Biden administration has allowed politics to stand in the way of making it right. That’s shameful,” he added.
