BORDER/CHILDREN/DEMS/IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Undaunted and unapologetic, President Donald Trump defended his administration’s border-protection policies Monday [6-18-18] in the face of rising national outrage over the forced separation of migrant children from their parents. Tough action is needed to fight illegal immigration, he declared and the U.S. ‘will not be a migrant camp’ on his watch. Besides, the Democrats are to blame, not him, Trump insisted as images of children held in fenced cages fueled a growing chorus of condemnation from both political parties, four former first ladies and national evangelical leaders. The children are being held separately from parents who have been arrested under the administration’s ‘zero-tolerance’ policy for illegal border crossings…Underscoring the sensitivity of the family separation issue, language curbing the taking of immigrant children from parents held in custody will be added to the House’s conservative immigration bill, one House GOP aide said Monday, A similar provision is already in a compromise GOP immigration measure between party conservatives and moderates, with the House expected to vote on both late this week. The administration is hoping to force Democrats to vote for the bills or bear some of the political cost in November’s midterm elections.”
-Zeke Miller, “Trump digs in on immigration as national outrage rises,” The Associated Press, June 18, 2018 3:06 pm