Saint Louis Lawmakers Denounce Trump Admin. Immigration Policy

ST. LOUIS, MO — Local lawmakers in St. Louis filed a resolution Friday morning denouncing the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy that has led to more than 2,300 immigrant children being separated from their parents in recent weeks. They called the policy "cruel." St. Louis, they said, has received a handful of those children, with more on the way.

Led by 8th Ward Alderwoman and immigration lawyer Annie Rice, the group included faith leaders and immigrant advocates. They called on Missouri's new governor, Mike Parson, to refuse to send Missouri National Guard troops to the border to enforce the Trump administration's policy, and for representatives in Washington to support legislation that ends the detention of immigrants awaiting asylum hearings.

Other governors around the country, including Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, have refused to send troops to the border over the administration's immigration policy, and protests are planned nationwide for June 30, including in downtown St. Louis. President Trump unexpectedly backed away from that policy Wednesday amid scathing criticism, but the details of what exactly will change are still unclear.

The children are being housed in detention facilities that have been compared to internment camps with little or no access by the press or independent advocacy groups. In chilling audio from one facility, obtained by ProPublica, children can be heard crying for their parents.

So far, 22 of 28 aldermen in St. Louis have signed on to Rice's resolution. It will be up for a first reading when the board meets Friday afternoon.

Here's the phone number to @GovParsonMO to make this ask even more directly. Governor, if our MO National Guard isn't being used to reunite families, please bring them home. We want nothing to do with this any of this inhumanity at the border.
(573) 751-3222 #moleg #mogov https://t.co/t9mLyLBEJ6
— Annie Rice (@AnnieRiceStL) June 19, 2018

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