# What Effect Will Trump's Concentration Camps have on his reelection campaign? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 19, 2019, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738 "2019-06-19T12:15:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/361 "2019-06-26T02:02:48Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > One of the reports last week of the conditions in one of these places came from the [Associated Press](https://www.apnews.com/46da2dbe04f54adbb875cfbc06bbc615), which interviewed a team of lawyers who visited a facility near El Paso. The lawyers interviewed 60 children, and had a few more than a couple of anecdotes. > > Do you think the AP is not credible? Or maybe the team of lawyers is not credible? > > Perhaps you have a cite that can refute the claims made by the team of lawyers and reported by the Associated Press? The team of lawyers appear to be partisan activists, so I’m probably taking a more skeptical view of what they’re claiming than I would if they didn’t have a history of activism, but that’s what my experiences with the words of partisan activists has led me to. And you already know what they say about the plural of anecdote. Look, I’m sure there have been some people, minors and adults, detained in less than ideal circumstances. That’s what happens when their requested funding increase becomes [the source of partisan bickering](https://www.thedailybeast.com/progressive-democrats-to-shutdown-negotiators-not-another-dollar-in-dhs-funding) and illegal border crossings surge 619% in one year, as they have in the El Paso Sector. CBP has probably made mistakes (they’re part of the government and the government is rife with mistakes, after all). I’m curious what you’d prefer they do. Do you wish that progressive Dems had not fought so hard against the funding increase? Do you want them to stop apprehending people crossing the border illegally altogether? Something else? ---
**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 26, 2019, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/362 "2019-06-26T02:15:19Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I’m curious what you’d prefer they do. Do you wish that progressive Dems had not fought so hard against the funding increase? Do you want them to stop apprehending people crossing the border illegally altogether? Something else? Could you perhaps think “Hmmm…people work there. Maybe they could try to make sure that children get cleaned, have toothpaste, have an actual bed or something to sleep on.” I just don’t understand how if there is any question, you’d be more focused on what politicians in Washington DC are doing. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/363 "2019-06-26T02:29:03Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Could you perhaps think “Hmmm…people work there. Maybe they could try to make sure that children get cleaned, have toothpaste, have an actual bed or something to sleep on.” > > I just don’t understand how if there is any question, you’d be more focused on what politicians in Washington DC are doing. I don’t know if you and I have been reading the same thread. Most people here seem focused on what Trump, a politician in Washington DC, is doing. ---
**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 26, 2019, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/364 "2019-06-26T02:40:35Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I don’t know if you and I have been reading the same thread. Most people here seem focused on what Trump, a politician in Washington DC, is doing. I don’t know if you’ve been reading this thread, but I’m more concerned about conditions in those facilities than what people call them. And I’m asking you if you care about how the American government is treating children, whether they are seeking asylum, or brought by their parents, or somehow crossed the border on their own, do you care that the Administration says that toothpaste, or soap, or beds don’t matter? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/365 "2019-06-26T02:44:12Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > The team of lawyers appear to be partisan activists, Just because you support concentration camps for children out of partisanship doesn’t mean others oppose them out of partisanship; that’s just projection on your part. You keep declaring (not arguing, just stating that it’s so) that anyone who doesn’t support your kind’s industrial child abuse is merely being partisan. You have no argument. It’s also becoming clear that, despite your claiming otherwise elsewhere, you do not have the best interests of children in mind. Not in the least. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/366 "2019-06-26T04:11:00Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Could you perhaps think “Hmmm…people work there. Maybe they could try to make sure that children get cleaned, have toothpaste, have an actual bed or something to sleep on.” > > I just don’t understand how if there is any question, you’d be more focused on what politicians in Washington DC are doing. Look, it’s really, really HARD to keep these kids in decent conditions, when the private for-profit company is [only getting $750/day PER CHILD](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-children/first-stop-for-migrant-kids-for-profit-detention-center-idUSKCN1Q3261)to house and feed them. I mean, who can afford soap or toothpaste on that little? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/367 "2019-06-26T04:14:43Z")
I mean, if I had to look after, say 4 children who had been ripped away from their parents, I"m sure I’d have a tough time managing on only a budget of $90,000/month. On that little money, it’s easy to see how the contractor would skimp on luxuries like toothpaste, soap, diapers and adult supervision. You’ve gotta have a little profit in there, AmIright? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/368 "2019-06-26T04:22:54Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I don’t know if you’ve been reading this thread, but I’m more concerned about conditions in those facilities than what people call them. Great! Then let’s drop the “concentration camp” inflammatory rhetoric. > [@Slash1972](#): > > And I’m asking you if you care about how the American government is treating children, whether they are seeking asylum, or brought by their parents, or somehow crossed the border on their own, do you care that the Administration says that toothpaste, or soap, or beds don’t matter? I would prefer that the detainees of our government were generally treated humanely. That is not always the case, sometimes due to incompetence and sometimes due to malfeasance. That’s something that has been going on since way before the administration of President Trump. [Here is a link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2GkDz9yEJA) to the infamous “toothbrush” argument by career DoJ lawyer Sarah Fabian. To spoil a relevant detail, the complaint at issue in that hearing arose in 2016, during the Obama administration ([cite](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/why-sarah-fabian-argued-against-giving-kids-toothbrushes/592366/)). Do you think Obama is evil for not having provided toothbrushes and soap to immigrant children in all circumstances? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/369 "2019-06-26T04:30:10Z")
> [@](#): > > One Guatemalan boy, identified only as E.A.R.R., entered the United States in July 2018 and was held at Homestead for five months, according to the suit. His father applied to be his sponsor in July, and fulfilled myriad requirements set by caseworkers, such as giving the boy a separate room and even moving at one caseworker’s request, the suit alleges. His son was released shortly after the lawsuit was filed. Really, it was pretty cruel of that father to demand to get his son back. Won’t someone think of that poor contractor? The contractor only received $112,500 for keeping the child locked up for 5 months. And now the father just ups and takes him away, depriving the contractor of making an honest living. These Guatemalans are MONSTERS! ETA: That horrible father probably used inflammatory rhetoric as well. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/370 "2019-06-26T04:31:06Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I’m curious what you’d prefer they do. Do you wish that progressive Dems had not fought so hard against the funding increase? Do you want them to stop apprehending people crossing the border illegally altogether? Something else? I have no answer and I never said that I did. However it happened, it’s a mess down there and needs to be fixed. Do you have a solution? Since it’s apparent that the AP story about the El Paso facility isn’t going to be refuted, we should probably accept it as factual. One would think if it wasn’t true, the Border Patrol would be all over it. Hell, they knew they were coming 3 weeks in advance. Given the conditions described in the article, it’s pretty obvious that the conditions are quite a bit worse than ‘some people, minors and adults, detained in less than ideal circumstances.’ Would you agree? You know, if instead of demanding billions for a wall, Trump should have demanded the same billions to increase CBP staff and build new and upgrade existing facilities so as to improve the process of handling ever-increasing numbers of people. I think the Democrats would have voted for that funding. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/371 "2019-06-26T04:33:48Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Look, it’s really, really HARD to keep these kids in decent conditions, when the private for-profit company is [only getting $750/day PER CHILD](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-children/first-stop-for-migrant-kids-for-profit-detention-center-idUSKCN1Q3261)to house and feed them. I mean, who can afford soap or toothpaste on that little? > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I mean, if I had to look after, say 4 children who had been ripped away from their parents, I"m sure I’d have a tough time managing on only a budget of $90,000/month. On that little money, it’s easy to see how the contractor would skimp on luxuries like toothpaste, soap, diapers and adult supervision. You’ve gotta have a little profit in there, AmIright? I am curious to see how this information will be hand waved away by those in this thread who favor holding children in such horrific conditions. My guess is the information will simply be ignored,especially considering how they likely consider Reuters to be little more than a liberal mouthpiece for the likes of AOC. But hey, I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/372 "2019-06-26T04:46:00Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > I have no answer and I never said that I did. However it happened, it’s a mess down there and needs to be fixed. Do you have a solution? > > Since it’s apparent that the AP story about the El Paso facility isn’t going to be refuted, we should probably accept it as factual. One would think if it wasn’t true, the Border Patrol would be all over it. Hell, they knew they were coming 3 weeks in advance. Given the conditions described in the article, it’s pretty obvious that the conditions are quite a bit worse than ‘some people, minors and adults, detained in less than ideal circumstances.’ Would you agree? … As I’ve already said, my main issue with the stories, including the AP’s, is that “they’ll pick a couple of anecdotes and try to pretend / imply that those exceptions represent conditions generally.” > [@Railer13](#): > > … You know, if instead of demanding billions for a wall, Trump should have demanded the same billions to increase CBP staff and build new and upgrade existing facilities so as to improve the process of handling ever-increasing numbers of people. I think the Democrats would have voted for that funding. President Trump DID ask for “billions to increase CBP staff and build new and upgrade existing facilities so as to improve the process of handling ever-increasing numbers of people”. [Here is the summary of their FY2019 request](https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/FY19-Budget-Fact-Sheet_Border-Security.pdf): > [@](#): > > $2.7 billion in total funding for 52,000 average daily ICE immigration detention beds, a 25 percent increase over the 2017 Enacted level; And how did the Democrats respond (hint: we’ve been over this one already)? [The Daily Beast - Progressive Dems: ‘Not Another Dollar’ More in DHS Funding](https://www.thedailybeast.com/progressive-democrats-to-shutdown-negotiators-not-another-dollar-in-dhs-funding) ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/373 "2019-06-26T04:52:13Z")
Was there a sale on recently on the phrase “inflammatory rhetoric”? Maybe at Fox News? A lot of people seem to have bought this phrase recently. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/374 "2019-06-26T06:12:00Z")
Buy two get a cool-story-bro for free. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/375 "2019-06-26T06:18:11Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Great! Then let’s drop the “concentration camp” inflammatory rhetoric. Since the rhetoric appears to be accurate perhaps let’s not drop it? And, perhaps you can focus your energy less on the language used to describe the horrendous abuse of innocent children and infants, and more on stopping the horrendous abuse of innocent children and infants? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/376 "2019-06-26T06:24:38Z")
It’s brown kids who broke the fucking law, alright? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/377 "2019-06-26T06:43:50Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > Since the rhetoric appears to be accurate perhaps let’s not drop it? > > And, perhaps you can focus your energy less on the language used to describe the horrendous abuse of innocent children and infants, and more on stopping the horrendous abuse of innocent children and infants? I don’t find it to be more “horrendous” than the “abuse” that happened under the Obama administration, and I find the left’s outrage both selective and politically convenient. It rings hollow to me, particularly because of the inflammatory language being used. Those kids are being used by the Left to score political points. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/378 "2019-06-26T06:59:47Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > How would you build detention facilities that don’t meet the definition of “mass detention of civilians without trial”? You can’t. So I guess all those places where people are held pre trial are concentration camps as well. Empty the jails. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/379 "2019-06-26T07:00:11Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I find the left’s outrage both selective and politically convenient. I hadn’t realized that being outraged at the abuse of children was solely the province of the left, but now that you’ve said it I think I have to agree. > [@](#): > > Those kids are being used by the Left to score political points. So all the “Right” has to do to take the wind out of the “Left’s” sails is to stop abusing children and infants? Boy, they should do that. It would be what we call a win/win. The infants who are being horrendously abused, and who are still alive, would probably particularly appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2019, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738/380 "2019-06-26T07:03:20Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > You can’t. So I guess all those places where people are held pre trial are concentration camps as well. Empty the jails. I hadn’t realized our jails were full of infants who had been seized from their parents and horrendously abused. But if so, then I agree; we should empty our jails of them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-will-trumps-concentration-camps-have-on-his-reelection-campaign/835738.md?page=20)