Trump Blames Democrats for Family Separation Crisis and Letting Immigrants “Infest Our Country”

In a tweetstorm, the president pointed the finger at pretty much everyone but himself.

Evan Vucci/ AP

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

President Donald Trump doubled down Tuesday on claims that the widespread family separations taking place at the border are not his fault, and that the true blame lies with the Democrats.

In a tweetstorm, he alleged that Democrats “don’t care about crime” and allow “illegal immigrants to…infest our country.” Democrats refuse to act, he claims, because they see undocumented immigrants as “potential voters.”

As his administration continues to come under pressure from human rights advocates, Democrats, and a growing number of Republicans to put an end to the family separations, the president insists that only Congress can fix the situation. 

His tweets reiterated arguments made by Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, who said in her press briefing on Monday afternoon that most children coming into the country are not accompanied by their parents.

He also continued his bizarre line of attack on Germany, claiming that officials were lying about the country’s crime statistics. 

German officials have reported that crime was at a 25-year low in the country, according to May figures.

ONLY HOURS LEFT—AND EVERYTHING RIDING ON IT

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

With just hours left, we need a huge surge in reader support to get to our $400,000 year-end goal. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters. All gifts are 3X matched and tax-deductible.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

ONLY HOURS LEFT—AND EVERYTHING RIDING ON IT

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

With just hours left, we need a huge surge in reader support to get to our $400,000 year-end goal. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters. All gifts are 3X matched and tax-deductible.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate