ABC News: All 5 first ladies speak out against family-separation immigration policy
“All five living first ladies have weighed in on the Trump administration’s immigration policy this week, an unusual move even as Melania Trump had her spokeswoman issue a statement on it. The policy of separating children from their family members when they cross the border illegally has prompted debate in Washington, with many rights groups calling the practice inhumane…” (Ebbs, 6/18).

Reuters: Exclusive: Pope criticizes Trump administration policy on migrant family separation
“Pope Francis has criticized the Trump administration’s policy of separating migrant families at the Mexican border, saying populism is not the answer to the world’s immigration problems…” (Pullella, 6/20).

U.N. News: Migrant children at U.S. border have right to protection and ‘be with their families’: UNICEF chief
“Separating children from their families is in no-one’s best interest — the head of U.N. Children’s Fund UNICEF said on Tuesday — pointing to ‘heartbreaking’ stories of infants who have been reportedly removed from their parents after entering the U.S. from Mexico illegally…” (6/19).

VOA News: UNICEF Deplores U.S. Policy of Child-Family Separation
“…UNICEF’s executive director, Henrietta Fore, describes as heartbreaking the situation of children, many of them babies, who are separated from parents seeking safety in the United States. Speaking for her, UNICEF spokesman Christophe Boulierac says regardless of their migration status, children are children and they have the right to be protected and to be with their families…” (Schlein, 6/19).

Washington Post: Trump didn’t invent family separation, but his administration was willing to try it
“…The Trump administration took office willing to go deep into the government’s immigration enforcement arsenal — even at the risk of triggering a political and humanitarian crisis. Now, what once was seen as an option too toxic and extreme has fractured more than 2,500 migrant families in the past two months, feeding public outrage while testing Americans’ willingness to accept a government policy that inflicts child trauma…” (Miroff/Horwitz, 6/19).

Xinhua News: Children should not be snatched from their migrant parents: UNICEF chief
“…In the past six weeks, more than 2,000 children have been reportedly taken from parents who have crossed illegally into the United States from Mexico. The children have been put in detention centers in southwestern U.S. states. The newly introduced practice of the Trump administration has drawn international and domestic criticism. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday that children must not be traumatized by being separated from their parents…” (6/20).