Pelosi Remarks at Press Conference on Long-Term Health Effects of Separating Children from their Parents

Contact: Ashley Etienne/Henry Connelly, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. – House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi joined Congressman Raul Ruiz and medical providers and experts to discuss the long-term health effects of the Trump Administration's policy of separating children from their parents and incarcerating them in inhumane detention centers. Below are the Leader's remarks:

Leader Pelosi. Let us applaud Dr. Ruiz, Congressman Ruiz for his leadership. Thank you for bringing us together once again on behalf of the children of the world. Dr. Ruiz, I am pleased to be here with you and our Whip Mr. Hoyer, Dr. [Dr. Georges] Benjamin, Susan Van Cleve, Dr. Arthur C. Evans and so many other health care professionals who are here to attest to the concern we all have about the harm being done, that has been done and continues to be done because of separation. Not just children separation but family separation.

To listen to President Trump you would think that you have to make a choice between protecting our borders and caring for our children. That is simply not true. Thank God. He charges that those of us who criticize his family separation policy are wanting open borders. That is simply not true. We have always honored our oath of office to protect and defend our Constitution and our country and part of that responsibility is to secure our borders. We just don't think you should do it by putting children in cages.

There is a better way, Mr. President, to secure our borders than by putting children into cages. Neither the President's new policy nor the Republican bills on the Floor do anything to help children. The President's Executive Order does not end his family separation policy. Just a few minutes ago, perhaps as you were all gathering here, the President said in the White House, his policy ‘leads to separation ultimately.' That's what the President said. His policy ‘leads to separation ultimately.'

The President's plan violates the basic right to health and security. I know you will be hearing from health care professionals and we heard from the American Academy of Pediatrics that family separation and detention poses serious dangers to children's health. I'm sure health professionals will go more into that.

The President proved yesterday that he, with a stroke of a pen, can end a policy if he wanted to. He must fully end this horror of a policy he created with a stroke of a pen for the sake of the children.

With that, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished Whip [Congressman Steny Hoyer] who has been not only passionate on this issue but very focused in an intellectual way as a legislative virtuoso about what we can do, what is the right thing to do to protect our children. I am sure he will tell you he is a great-grandfather. That is not to say ‘great' as in a ‘fabulous' grandfather. He is a great-grandfather. Great-grandfather, Steny Hoyer.

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