June 07, 2018 11:43 AM UTC

Ken Buck Blames Immigrant Parents for Separation from Children

• 2 Comments
• by: Jason Salzman

(Ugh — promoted by Colorado Pols)

U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) blames immigrant parents, not the Trump Administration, for the “sad reality” that some immigrant children will be separated from their parents at the U.S. border.

Appearing on KFKA radio in Greeley Wednesday, Buck said it’s “unfortunate” when immigrant children are separated from their parents, but it’s also “unfortunate” that immigrants choose to cross the border illegally.

And so it’s “just a sad reality that there is going to be some unfortunate separation of individuals when crimes are committed.”

Buck made the comments after KFKA host Gail Fallen noted that Trump Attorney General Jeff Sessions is “under fire” for policies that “have resulted in immigrant children being separated from their parents after crossing the border illegally.”

She asked for Buck’s “take on that,” to which the northern Colorado Congressman replied:

Buck: I’ll tell you, Gail, I think it’s unfortunate when families are separated. But it’s also unfortunate when families make a decision to break the law [by coming here.] And there are consequences in this country. We are a country of rule – a country of laws. And we believe in the rule of law. And I think it’s just a sad reality that there is going to be some unfortunate separation of individuals when crimes are committed. I was a DA for years, a prosecutor for 25 years. And I was involved in making sure that those who are more dangerous and violated the law were  separated from the rest of society. And that’s part of what we do.

Critics of the policy of separating children from their parents say it’s cruel, and the United Nations human rights office has said it’s illegal, violating the immigrants’ rights and international law.

As the New York Times reported Tuesday:

The administration angrily rejected what it called an ignorant attack by the United Nations human rights office and accused the global organization of hypocrisy.

The human rights office said it appeared that, as The New York Times revealed in April, United States authorities had separated several hundred children, including toddlers, from their parents or others claiming to be their family members, under a policy of criminally prosecuting undocumented people crossing the border.

That practice “amounts to arbitrary and unlawful interference in family life, and is a serious violation of the rights of the child,” Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, based in Geneva, told reporters.

Buck’s office did not immediately return a call seeking comment on the United Nations stance.

On the radio yesterday, Buck went on to say he was optimistic that in the coming months “we will have a positive result” on immigration legislation.

GOP House Speaker Paul Ryan announced Thursday that he expects a floor vote on immigration legislation in the coming weeks.

Listen here to Buck on Greeley’s KFKA radio June 6: