B.C. premier adds to voices bashing U.S. policy to separate asylum seeking families

B.C. Premier John Horgan is condemning the United States government’s actions to separate children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. In a statement to mark World Refugee Day, Horgan said British Columbians are “horrified about what they are seeing south of the border”.

“Our government condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the current U.S. government policy to separate asylum-seeking families from their children,” said Horgan in a statement. “People around the world are horrified to see this unnecessary trauma inflicted on innocent children and families. It is time for compassion and understanding, not cruelty and hatred. We extend our gratitude to the people and communities throughout B.C who help welcome refugees every day.”

The statement comes as it seems U.S. President Donald Trump is going to back down from the controversial policy. On Wednesday, the president said he would sign an executive order to solve the problem of immigrant families being separated at the U.S. southern border.

The effort would mark a dramatic departure for an administration that has been insisting, wrongly, that it has no choice but to separate families apprehended at the border because of the law and a court decision. The news in recent days has been dominated by searing images of children held in cages at border facilities, as well as audio recordings of young children crying for their parents.

In Canada, separating children from their parents is seen as a last resort as per the country’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Coverage of immigrant families being separated at the U.S.-Mexico border on Globalnews.ca:

1:18 Aerial views of an immigrant children camp in Texas

• Aerial views of an immigrant children camp in Texas
• Trudeau joins growing chorus of leaders blasting Trump detaining children
• Rachel Maddow gets emotional on-air over immigrant children
• Will some children separated from their parents at US/Mexico border ever be reunited?
• Former U.S. Immigration official says there could be ‘hundreds’ of children permanently separated from parents
• Trump stands firm on controversial border policy: ‘You have to take the children away’
• Children sob after separation from parents at U.S.-Mexico border in leaked audio

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“Our government will always stand up for the values of diversity, inclusion, and mutual respect, and protect those in need. Together, we will keep working to make life better for every person, in every community,” said Horgan. “Today, and every day, we stand together in support of refugees, in British Columbia and around the world.”

Horgan added that welcoming refugees is part of B.C.’s history, and “part of who we are today.”

With files from the Associated Press