# Were any i.d. tags used when immigrant kids were taken from parents? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 10, 2018, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-i-d-tags-used-when-immigrant-kids-were-taken-from-parents/817651 "2018-07-10T14:07:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-i-d-tags-used-when-immigrant-kids-were-taken-from-parents/817651/21 "2018-07-11T15:28:05Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > This is veering out of GQ territory, but I can’t wrap my brain around the dozens of staff members, many if not most of them parents, just taking children away, fully aware that there was nothing in place to make it possible for those children to find their parents again. Is that what’s called “just following orders”? Never too underestimate the power of financial persuasion. They have a decent government job with benefits, and refusal to carry out an order will be personally costly; so better to proceed with the assumption that the higher-ups know what they are doing, have considered all the angles, and have plans to deal with the eventual results. Or… get fired an become a low-skilled unemployed person blacklisted from many opportunities. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-i-d-tags-used-when-immigrant-kids-were-taken-from-parents/817651/22 "2018-07-11T16:36:24Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > This is veering out of GQ territory, but I can’t wrap my brain around the dozens of staff members, many if not most of them parents, just taking children away, fully aware that there was nothing in place to make it possible for those children to find their parents again. Is that what’s called “just following orders”? I’ve read that some people have quit their jobs because they couldn’t do what they were being told to do. Ironically, conditions are probably worse with the people who have a modicum of decency leaving and the people who are completely callous staying. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-i-d-tags-used-when-immigrant-kids-were-taken-from-parents/817651/23 "2018-07-11T18:52:49Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The other thing is that, based on the articles I’ve read, it was a lot more expensive to jail the children separately from the parents. (Even if you accept that it’s necessary to jail asylum seekers.) So they did things in the most expensive and evil way possible. Remember that there are always two sides to this. What we, as taxpayers, call _expensive_ is a new income opportunity to those getting paid. So the same reprehensible corporations who operate ‘private prisons’ are quickly getting into the business of detention facilities under INS contract. And some of these seem to have close connections to Mr. Trump et al. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-i-d-tags-used-when-immigrant-kids-were-taken-from-parents/817651/24 "2018-07-12T04:26:43Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’ve read that some people have quit their jobs because they couldn’t do what they were being told to do. > > Ironically, conditions are probably worse with the people who have a modicum of decency leaving and the people who are completely callous staying. But then you have to be pretty strongly principled to give up your house and car and future meals for someone from a different country who won’t know what you did. Along with the futility of the action, considering the next person in line will likely be happy to do your job and take the pay that comes with it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-any-i-d-tags-used-when-immigrant-kids-were-taken-from-parents/817651.md?page=1)