The Trump administration is threatening to begin immigration raids that include “collateral” arrests and family members. The New York Times reports that “agents have expressed apprehensions about arresting babies.” I should hope so.
As the anti-immigrant drumbeat continues and more horror stories from U.S. detention centers at the border come to light, let’s remember the huge profit motive behind this operation. Private prison companies are making billions and Trump’s former chief of staff has joined the board of the company in charge of the Homestead kid-lockup facility in Florida.
How things have changed from the days when the Obama administration began phasing out privately-run federal prisons. Meanwhile, President Trump says the detainees are happy about everything because they have water and 9,500 Border Patrol agents were part of a racist and sexist Facebook group.