The latter. Trump is an atrocious president, no doubt. But he is simply escalating the policies set by Clinton, W, and Obama that criminalized immigration and privatized detention centers and prisons. Lest we forget, Democrats, who took control of the House in 2019, actually voted to give an additional $4.5 billion to Trump to EXPAND ICE, CBP and HHS with no accountability for how the money would be spent, i.e. no protections for asylum seekers. We gave them the House, they sold us down the river.

We all need to understand that as bad as Trump is, caging immigrants and their children began under Clinton, escalated under W, and exploded under Obama. The private prison industry, which was a Clinton initiative, added private detention centers under Obama. In other words, Trump is exploiting the systems developed by his predecessors, and is able to expand it further thanks to House Democrats’ passage in June of a $4.5 billion law giving more money to ICE, CBP and HHS. We must focus our energy on ending the for-profit prison/immigrant detention center system, else it will continue long after Trump is gone.

@Bobbyzen and drump could end it, but noooo, he makes it a thousand times worse! Children should Never be separated from parents unless there is neglect or abuse! Period!

@AnneWimsey It is up to us to end it. I am in constant touch with my Democratic House representative who, along with the majority of House Dems, refuse to pull the plug on detention centers. It is up to us to pressure Democrats—Republicans are a lost cause. It is up to us to put ourselves in the line to shut these death camps down. When we look to our elected leaders to act, we abdicate our power and our responsibility.

@Bobbyzen There has to be a far more humane way of handling the problem. Trump, Miller and powerful senators could obviously care less. I doubt there’s ever been a less empathetic group in power. Certainly non Americans didn’t think of Obama and the other presidents you mentioned as being in the same league. Non were perfect, no one is but Trumps a disgrace.

@Bilbobagins of course there are humane ways to treat people. It begins with ending global corporate capitalism and the exploitation of human and natural resources. The overthrow of democratically elected governments south of our border (not to mention in the Middle East) and implementation of systems of war, mineral extraction, incarceration and worker exploitation lead to mass exodus and influx of immigrants here and in Europe. Trump is merely riding the waves of corporatism, albeit with an explicit cruelty.

Wow a blast from the past one of the fastest guitarists ever

@FrostyJim one of my favorite groups of the 70’s!