Gov. Ricketts: Secure the Border, Keep Families and Children Together

Statement

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts issued a statement regarding the Department of Homeland Security's work to secure the U.S.-Mexico border.

"While there seems to be a lot of misinformation and propaganda regarding the situation on our border, one thing is clear: Children should not be separated from their families. The previous policy of catch-and-release was unacceptable because it made our border problem worse, but it does not make the expanded practice of separating children from their families humane.

"Some have rightly pointed out that some separations occur to protect children from human trafficking or other criminal activity. This is important to acknowledge, though it does not fully account for the dramatic increase in separations widely reported over the last week.

"The American people have been asking Washington to solve this problem for decades now. Having iron clad control of our borders is an increasingly urgent matter in this dangerous global climate. Let's reform our immigration policies so the workforce we need can come here legally. Let's build the wall, hire more border patrol agents, and crack down on the businesses that recruit and hire illegal immigrants with steep fines. And along the way, let's ensure children do not get caught in the crossfire on American soil when it comes to Washington politics."

Source