Homeland Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen booed at Mexican restaurant

20 июня

13:30 2018

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Image caption US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen (C)

Protesters have barracked a Trump administration official as she dined at a Mexican restaurant in Washington DC.

The activists heckled Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen at the eatery near the White House.

The Trump administration is facing international pressure to drop its new policy of taking migrant children from their parents.

They include babies and toddlers sent to three "tender age" shelters, the Associated Press news agency reports.

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The Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America claimed responsibility for Tuesday evening's protest against the homeland security secretary.

Skip Facebook post by Metro D.C. Democratic Socialists of America

We’re in downtown DC disrupting DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen’s dinner at MXDC. The irony isn’t lost on us that this is...

Posted by Metro D.C. Democratic Socialists of America on Tuesday, 19 June 2018

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End of Facebook post by Metro D.C. Democratic Socialists of America

Her security detail kept the demonstrators from approaching too near her table at the back of the restaurant.

The activists shouted: "How do you sleep at night?"

"If kids don't eat in peace, you don't eat in peace."

"Do you hear the babies crying?"

"Aren't you a mother, too?"

Skip Twitter post by @OsitaNwanevu

DHS Secretary Nielsen just got driven out of a Mexican restaurant here on 14th Street by activists. DSA, I believe. pic.twitter.com/lTKutryXBO

— Osita Nwanevu (@OsitaNwanevu) June 20, 2018

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End of Twitter post by @OsitaNwanevu

President Donald Trump has said the homeland security secretary "did a fabulous job" defending the policy at a news conference this week.

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Meanwhile, a former Trump campaign manager made fun of a story about a 10-year-old girl with Down's syndrome who was reportedly separated from her mother after crossing the border illegally.

Appearing on Tuesday on Fox News, Corey Lewandowski sarcastically said "womp, womp", as a Democratic party aide said the girl had been "taken from her mother and put in a cage".

The Democratic adviser, Zac Petkanas, shouted repeatedly: "How dare you!"

Skip Twitter post by @passantino

.@Zac_Petkanas says on Fox News a 10-year-old girl with Down Syndrome was separated from her mother at the border.
Corey Lewandowski responds: "Womp womp." pic.twitter.com/cZMXWmwbjw

— Jon Passantino (@passantino) June 19, 2018

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The unconfirmed report of the so-called tender age shelters for babies and toddlers drove an MSNBC news anchor on Tuesday night to almost break down in tears.

When she first received the breaking news report from the Associated Press, Rachel Maddow paused.

Media captionThe sound of migrant children separated from parents

"This is incredible. Trump administration officials have been sending babies and other young children..." she trailed off, before covering her mouth and saying she was unable to continue.

In a USA Today op-ed, Attorney General Jeff Sessions wrote that the migrant children "get better care than a lot of American kids do".

Tom Homan, the acting director of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, told CNN: "If you want to blame someone for separating families, blame the parents who choose to break the law."

Media captionTheresa May: US child detention 'disturbing' and 'wrong'

There is anecdotal evidence that the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" crackdown, launched last month, may be achieving its objective of deterring migrants crossing the border illegally.

Skip Twitter post by @justinbaragona

Rachel Maddow chokes up and cries on air as she struggles to deliver news that migrant babies and toddlers have been sent to "tender age" shelters pic.twitter.com/O6crm8cvyR

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) June 20, 2018

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End of Twitter post by @justinbaragona

Salvadoran postman Cen Epigmenio told Reuters news agency he hoped to cross the Mexican border into the US in the coming months.

But the 40-year-old said he and his wife have postponed their plans for fear of being separated from their two sons, Axel, nine, and Steven, three.

He said he was fleeing gang violence at home.

"As things stand today, it's difficult, because if you get caught, they take your kids away. I think I'm going to stay here, in Mexico, and establish myself."

Another Salvadoran migrant, Lucia Carmen Flores Sanchez, who is travelling overland with her eight-year-old daughter, told the New York Times a similar story.

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