In the News

Today, Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) released the following statement on the Trump administration's shameful decision to separate children from their parents at the border:

"We have all been moved by the cruelty of President Trump's decision to forcibly separate families at the border. I condemn this inhumane and morally repugnant policy. This is not who we are as Americans. It must end now. That is why I am cosponsoring legislation to end this barbaric policy.

"Despite the administration’s relentless Orwellian attempts to blame non-existent laws for Trump’s own actions, the reality is that this humanitarian crisis was created entirely by Donald Trump, is being perpetuated by Donald Trump, and could be ended by Donald Trump at any moment.

"However, we simply cannot wait and hope that President Trump has a sudden change of heart. The horrific stories of nursing infants ripped from their mothers’ breasts, images of small children in cages, and recordings of traumatized children crying out for their parents demonstrate the dire need for immediate action. That is why I have offered multiple amendments aimed at forbidding this shameful policy, and have cosponsored the Keep Families Together Act. Along with my colleagues, I have requested that the appropriations committee prohibit DHS from using funds to separate children from their families. We must act now.

"I am prepared to vote in favor of this legislation as soon as Republican leadership finds the moral courage to defy the Trump administration and bring it before the Congress. To use President Trump’s own words, this American carnage must end now.

"I must tell you that this issue defines not just my congressional posture, but, for me, who I am as a moral being who possesses a conscience and empathy for those who struggle. I will not rest until these children are reunited with their families."