Senator Elizabeth Warren called for a solution to family separation on Wednesday in response to the news Mollie Tibbett’s suspected murderer is an illegal immigrant from Mexico.
During an interview on CNN’s “New Day,” Ms. Warren offered her condolences to the Tibbetts family, and then quickly pivoted to the practice of separating minors from their parents when they are caught entering the U.S. illegally.
“I’m so sorry for the family here,” she said. “But one of the things we need to remember here is that we need an immigration system that is effective. That focuses on where real problems are.”
Ms. Warren described her visit to the border where she met with mothers whose children were separated from them after crossing the border.
“I think we need immigration laws that focus on people that pose a real threat,” Ms. Warren said, “I don’t think mommas and babies are the place where we should be spending our resources.”
The hard-line immigration policy was rescinded by an executive order in June. The complicated reunification process was deemed complete by a judge in late July, but hundreds of parents remain separated from their children.
On Tuesday, police charged Cristhian Rivera with first-degree murder after he directed investigators to her body. Authorities confirmed with Homeland Security that Mr. Rivera illegally crossed into the U.S. from Mexico and resided in Iowa for at least four years.
Mr. Rivera is set to appear in court on Wednesday.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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