# Separating immigrants from their children is child abuse. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 16, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206 "2018-06-16T16:45:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/321 "2018-06-19T14:39:03Z")
But it’s all okay - [Laura Ingraham says](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ingraham-migrant-child-centers-summer-camps) it’s like being in a summer camp or a boarding school: > [@](#): > > Since more illegal immigrants are rushing the border, more kids are being separated from their parents and being housed in what are essentially summer camps, or as the San Diego Union Tribune described them today — as looking like basically boarding schools. I’m sure well-to-do Republicans will be vying with each other to ensure that their kids can gain admission to these “boarding schools.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/322 "2018-06-19T14:46:17Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > The idea that in this country of what, 315 million, we don’t have room for ~100,000 more people who may otherwise face murder or imprisonment? Give me a break. But they are brown people, who are so poor that they might take $2 of my hard-earned tax money to better themselves and their families, so fuck 'em! ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/323 "2018-06-19T15:41:45Z")
Seems that America is people saying “this is not America” to about 90% of the things the US government does, and them still happening anyway. (Great when Gitmo was closed…right? And the torturers were sentenced to…being promoted to the cabinet). ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/324 "2018-06-19T15:50:00Z")
nevermind ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/325 "2018-06-19T16:20:43Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Previous administrations have treated everyone who claims asylum the same. And the answer to how many fail to appear is 14% when you don’t give them lawyers, and 2% when you do give them lawyers. It would literally be cheaper to simply appoint them all lawyers than to detain them all, with virtually the same result in terms of rates of appearance. > > This is a very inconvenient fact for people trying to justify this the way UltraVires is trying. Surely you understand that these are for asylum seekers and not illegal immigrants. If we adopt your proposed policy, the word will get out that if you are trying to immigrate illegally, then just say that you are seeking asylum…and kidnap a kid on the way. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/326 "2018-06-19T16:25:07Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Surely you understand that these are for asylum seekers and not illegal immigrants. If we adopt your proposed policy, the word will get out that if you are trying to immigrate illegally, then just say that you are seeking asylum…and kidnap a kid on the way. Once again-Where the fuck are you getting this “kidnap a kid” crap? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/327 "2018-06-19T16:28:54Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Surely you understand that these are for asylum seekers and not illegal immigrants. If we adopt your proposed policy, the word will get out that if you are trying to immigrate illegally, then just say that you are seeking asylum…and kidnap a kid on the way. Rapid DNA tests take an hour or so. This claim of kidnapping of kids is pure fantasy to justify racist policy. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/328 "2018-06-19T16:30:48Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Once again-Where the fuck are you getting this “kidnap a kid” crap? If we change this policy and it is known that families with children are united in a place that is suitable for children (i.e. not a jail) and that there is sympathy for these families while the single man or woman can go get fucked, then before attempting an illegal border crossing, it would be beneficial to kidnap a child and claim that you are seeking asylum. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/329 "2018-06-19T16:33:02Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Rapid DNA tests take an hour or so. This claim of kidnapping of kids is pure fantasy to justify racist policy. The child is “adopted.” Further, how is this racist? Are the Canadian authorities that stop me after busting through customs at the Rainbow Bridge racist? We wouldn’t want 12 million white people here illegally either. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/330 "2018-06-19T16:33:55Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > We wouldn’t want 12 million white people here illegally either. Keep telling yourself that. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/331 "2018-06-19T16:34:59Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > If we change this policy and it is known that families with children are united in a place that is suitable for children (i.e. not a jail) and that there is sympathy for these families while the single man or woman can go get fucked, then before attempting an illegal border crossing, it would be beneficial to kidnap a child and claim that you are seeking asylum. So you don’t have jack shit, right? Knew it. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/332 "2018-06-19T16:39:04Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Keep telling yourself that. Of course. If a guy loses his job to an illegal immigrant, he doesn’t care what color his skin is. You think after a guy gets laid off, he is upset if the guy that replaced him was Hispanic, but if he was Irish, then all cool, fist bump and white power, bro? > [@Czarcasm](#): > > So you don’t have jack shit, right? > Knew it. What are you talking about? You want evidence that this particular immigrant kidnapped this particular child? We would never know that. That is the point; it is the exact reason why the immigrant would kidnap a child. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/333 "2018-06-19T16:39:42Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Surely you understand that these are for asylum seekers and not illegal immigrants. If we adopt your proposed policy, the word will get out that if you are trying to immigrate illegally, then just say that you are seeking asylum…and kidnap a kid on the way. Wait, I have an idea. What if we made kidnapping illegal, and–here’s a crazy thought–attached large penalties to it? Boom–we’ve solved this fantasy problem! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/334 "2018-06-19T16:48:35Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Of course. If a guy loses his job to an illegal immigrant, he doesn’t care what color his skin is. You think after a guy gets laid off, he is upset if the guy that replaced him was Hispanic, but if he was Irish, then all cool, fist bump and white power, bro? > > What are you talking about? You want evidence that this particular immigrant kidnapped this particular child? We would never know that. That is the point; it is the exact reason why the immigrant would kidnap a child. What is happening now makes it entirely possible that the President is letting Republican perverts have their way with cages filled with innocent little girls for a nominal fee, free from scrutiny…but I sure as shit am not going to use it as an argument against the program if there is no evidence whatsoever(to date) of it happening. In other words, try to keep your imaginary monsters under your bed and/or in your closet where they belong, please. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/335 "2018-06-19T16:58:16Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > What are you talking about? You want evidence that this particular immigrant kidnapped this particular child? We would never know that. Adding to my previous crazy ideas…what if we created a new kind of police officer whose job it was to investigate possible crimes, trying to detect wrongdoing? We could call them, I dunno, “detectives.” We could even have a national administrative branch dedicated to this sort of examination of crimes. What if we called it the Federal Bureau of Investigation? That way, when you say we would never know whether a child was kidnapped, you’d be wrong–we’d be able to figure it out! I love solving these imaginary problems you keep throwing out! Give us some more! ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/336 "2018-06-19T17:03:48Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Adding to my previous crazy ideas…what if we created a new kind of police officer whose job it was to investigate possible crimes, trying to detect wrongdoing? We could call them, I dunno, “detectives.” We could even have a national administrative branch dedicated to this sort of examination of crimes. What if we called it the Federal Bureau of Investigation? > > That way, when you say we would never know whether a child was kidnapped, you’d be wrong–we’d be able to figure it out! > > I love solving these imaginary problems you keep throwing out! Give us some more! So the United States will use the federal government to investigate possible instances of kidnapping…inside Mexico? How will that work? We have Immigrant A claiming that child B is his step-child from his first marriage who Loves Him Very Much and wants to be free from the Violence in El Salvador. His first wife wanted him to take the child with him to be safe from the violence. How are we to prove or disprove ANY of that? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/337 "2018-06-19T17:13:03Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > So the United States will use the federal government to investigate possible instances of kidnapping…inside Mexico? How will that work? We have Immigrant A claiming that child B is his step-child from his first marriage who Loves Him Very Much and wants to be free from the Violence in El Salvador. His first wife wanted him to take the child with him to be safe from the violence. > > How are we to prove or disprove ANY of that? You can’t point at any particular border crosser or at any particular child, but you want us to assume that kidnapping is a very real problem in this situation because…? Is it because of their color? Is it because Mexicans are known for kidnapping children? Or is it become you are seeking to smear immigrants with the worst possible thing you can think of just because you don’t want them in your country? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/338 "2018-06-19T17:14:47Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Of course. If a guy loses his job to an illegal immigrant, he doesn’t care what color his skin is. Hey, it’s the return of Jesse Helms’ [‘hands’ ad](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lw8_f6_2XQ)! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/339 "2018-06-19T17:17:00Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > So the United States will use the federal government to investigate possible instances of kidnapping…inside Mexico? How will that work? We have Immigrant A claiming that child B is his step-child from his first marriage who Loves Him Very Much and wants to be free from the Violence in El Salvador. His first wife wanted him to take the child with him to be safe from the violence. > > How are we to prove or disprove ANY of that? Are you fucking with me? Do you think that once you cross a national border, it’s ollie-ollie-oxenfree with kidnapping charges? Do you think that children who are kidnapped are generally pleased to go along with it and show no signs of distress? Do you think that the FBI is incapable of investigating an international child smuggling ring? What the fuck are you on about? I call this sort of argument–which also shows up with voter fraud cases–kraken deterrent measures. We have to put up these terrifying expensive loud buoys along popular beaches, see, because they’ll deter kraken attacks. Of course we can’t detect krakens, they’re deep sea mysteries, but THEY COULD BE THERE, so we better shittify our nation in order to prevent those kraken attacks! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206/340 "2018-06-19T17:23:06Z")
Who the hell is pushing this idea that our neighbors to the south are in the habit of kidnapping children just to get across the border, **UltraVires**? Where did you read and/or hear about it, because it sure as shit didn’t originate with you because I have seen this crap pushed on Face Book and on other websites. What’s your source? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/separating-immigrants-from-their-children-is-child-abuse/816206.md?page=18)