Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen may be the next Trump administration official to get canned, “five current and former White House officials” tell The Washington Post. But don’t be surprised if Nielsen herself had something to do with the leak, because parts of the report verge on flattery, detailing her supposed dedication to “the laws and regulations.” Sure, Jan.
Whether or not Nielsen is still in her job by the end of this week, she should be remembered in history books for who and what she is. Kirstjen Nielsen decided to join this administration, and used her vast powers to implement the state-sanctioned kidnapping of children from the arms of parents at the southern border. Don’t ever forget that Kirstjen Nielsen is complicit, a coward who couldn’t even defend her decision in front of an outraged nation, and repeatedly lied about the policy to our faces.
“We do not have a policy of separating families at the border. Period,” she claimed in a June tweet. A crock of shit. Nielsen most likely signed off on the policy herself, and Democrats, currently in the minority in Congress, have called on DHS to hand over the unredacted memo that would show her role in this humanitarian disaster. So far, DHS has refused to, but that can change once Democrats take over the House next year and use their subpoena power.
The fact is that Kirstjen Nielsen belongs in jail, because if us every day nobodies dared to disobey a federal judge’s order, that’s exactly where we’d be. But 110 days past a federal judge’s deadline, Nielsen and Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar have kept separated kids in U.S. custody instead of reuniting them with their parents. Some are still separated from their parents because the Trump administration already deported them and can’t find them.
Whether or not Nielsen is still in her job when the new Democratic House gets sworn in next year, she should still have her ass hauled in front of as many committees as needed, to answer for her actions. The report could all be rumor, it could all be real, it could be a bit of both, but it doesn’t change one bit that our nation has traumatized children and families. Some may never see their parents again. Many may now be free, but still remain prisoners of their trauma. Don’t forget that. Don’t forget them.
“Well, at least she gets to leave with her dignity intact. Not,” tweeted immigrant rights leader Frank Sharry. “Ripping babies from their mothers, lying to the country about it, straining to please the idiot president and his boy Stephen Miller. Given her despicable run, may she never be allowed to rehabilitate her image.”