A Trump Cruelty too far – Howlin asks Coveney to raise treatment of immigrant children with Pompeo

Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin TD has called on Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney to raise the issue of children being separated from their parents by US immigration authorities in Texas, directly with the US Secretary of State. Since April this year over 2000 children have been separated from their families.

Deputy Howlin said:

“I think people are across the world and in the United States are appalled at the implications of this policy, which sees young children being separated from their parents.

“It is good to hear the First Lady voice her concerns on the issue in stark contrast to the dishonest and disingenuous commentary being offered by the President.

“The former first Lady Laura Bush has called the policy cruel and immoral. I think parents the world over are horrified to see the United States behave in this fashion. Whatever the issues are around immigration it is simply unacceptable to make children the primary scapegoats.

“I’m calling now on our Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney to raise this issue directly with the US authorities.

“There is no ambassador in Ireland to be called in, so direct contact with the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is required. In addition to the obvious and inexcusable cruelty that this policy is imposing on individual families, it is also further tainting the reputation of the United States.

“The Taoiseach would do well also to reflect on his official invite to visit Ireland to a President of the United States who has not filled the vacant ambassadorship for a year and a half now.”