# The law DOES require them to separate children from their families **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 18, 2018, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-law-does-require-them-to-separate-children-from-their-families/816339 "2018-06-18T21:15:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 46
**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, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-law-does-require-them-to-separate-children-from-their-families/816339/46 "2018-06-19T12:05:54Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > The law does not require the authorities to put someone in jail when they decide to prosecute them. Can we just be intellectually honest and say that your side does not support enforcing immigration laws? If I drive drunk, it is technically true that the authorities do not have to prosecute me. It is also technically true that they do not have to take me to jail if they do prosecute me. But I think that we would agree that the local authorities would not be doing their jobs if they refused to prosecute wholesale violations of the law. It is the President’s job to enforce the laws. It says so right in the Constitution. Why shouldn’t he enforce this law? Because you don’t like the law? Because it separates children from their families? Well, that is very sad, but it is no different than a parent violating any other law. If I am in county jail, the kids aren’t there with me. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-law-does-require-them-to-separate-children-from-their-families/816339)._