- The Washington Times - Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Rep. Karen Bass, a member of the Judiciary Committee and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said Tuesday that Republicans are knowingly abusing migrant children separated from their families at the border as a political play.

Ms. Bass was asked on CNN’s “New Day” show about reports of inhumane conditions in detention facilities and children being denied hygienic items like toothpaste and soap.

“We definitely need to approve the money, but I do not think that is the issue at all. You can’t tell me that the federal government does not have money for toothpaste and soap. This is inflicted on these children as punishment to try and bring Democrats to the table to compromise on the border wall. I think that is absolutely important,” the California Democrat said. 

“The other thing that I think is critical is we need to stop saying that the policy of family separation has ended. It has not. Since when is a grandmother or a sibling or an aunt not considered family? Only at the U.S. border,” she said

Ms. Bass added that reports of children walking around in soiled diapers and living in cells with disease and lice outbreaks “is a human rights abuse.”

“This is such a stain on our country,” she said. “If any parent did anything that is going on on the border, the children would literally be taken away and put in foster care. You can’t tell me that this problem cannot be solved.”

“President Trump just a few days ago said well he was going to cancel education, cancel recreation, cancel the hygiene needs. This was deliberate. How dare you torture children to try and get a compromise out of Democrats,” she said, adding it’s “straight up child abuse” and should be “condemned internationally.”

• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.

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