Incoming House Judiciary chair to Trump admin: Get ready to answer for family separation policy

New York Representative Jerry Nadler, widely expected to chair the powerful House Judiciary Committee when the new Congress is sworn in next year, has a message for the administration agencies that implemented the barbaric “zero tolerance” policy that resulted in the state-sanctioned kidnapping of thousands of children at the southern border: He’ll be waiting to hear from them.

Today, I gave notice to @TheJusticeDept, @HHSGov, and @DHSgov, that @HouseJudDems will demand answers from the Administration regarding its family separation policy. We expect the backlog of unanswered requests to be addressed before the new Congress. https://t.co/qJBzMnfIgI pic.twitter.com/OZgr2xJ3eC

— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) November 20, 2018

His office said, “Ranking Member Nadler has indicated that in the next Congress, the House Judiciary Committee will examine the administration’s immigration and detention policies, the status of separated children and parents, and the longstanding damage these policies may have had on families detained by the U.S. government.”

Nadler in particular is in a unique position, because he witnessed firsthand some of the most immediate effects of the xenophobic policies Democrats will probe. Nadler, along with Rep. Nydia Velázquez, were at JFK Airport immediately following Donald Trump’s Muslim ban, and were instrumental in getting detained travelers released. In June, Nadler was also among the members blocked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement from visiting families separated under zero tolerance.

“The reckoning for one of Trump's most disgraceful and unconscionable policies begins,” Daily Kos’s Kerry Eleveld tweeted. “Everyone who had a hand in the family separations should be held to account.”