President (To Win Colorado) See Full Big Line

(D) Joe Biden*

(R) Donald Trump

80%

20%↓

CO-01 (Denver) See Full Big Line

(D) Diana DeGette*

90%

CO-02 (Boulder-ish) See Full Big Line

(D) Joe Neguse*

90%

CO-03 (West & Southern CO) See Full Big Line

(D) Adam Frisch

(R) Jeff Hurd

(R) Ron Hanks

40%

30%

20%

CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado) See Full Big Line

(R) Lauren Boebert

(R) J. Sonnenberg

(R) Ted Harvey

20%↑

15%↑

10%

CO-05 (Colorado Springs) See Full Big Line

(R) Dave Williams

(R) Jeff Crank

(R) Doug Bruce

20%

20%

20%

CO-06 (Aurora) See Full Big Line

(D) Jason Crow*

90%

CO-07 (Jefferson County) See Full Big Line

(D) Brittany Pettersen

85%↑

 

CO-08 (Northern Colo.) See Full Big Line

(D) Yadira Caraveo

(R) Gabe Evans

(R) Janak Joshi

60%↑

40%↑

20%↑

State Senate Majority See Full Big Line

DEMOCRATS

REPUBLICANS

80%

20%

State House Majority See Full Big Line

DEMOCRATS

REPUBLICANS

95%

5%

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
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:

Comments

2 thoughts on “Ken Buck Blames Immigrant Parents for Separation from Children

  1. Someone who was a prosecutor ought to have a sense that SOME of these people are coming across the border seeking asylum — and are still being separated from their kids. That's flatly against the norms (and probably the legalities) of asylum seeking.

    Even better news — there is a Bush-appointed federal judge who considers the policy as likely unconstitutional. See Slate.

    As [Judge] Sabraw noted, he is still poised to rule on whether or not separated families will be certified as part of the ACLU’s requested class action lawsuit, and to determine if a preliminary injunction will be issued to halt a practice he describes as “brutal, offensive, and [failing] to comport with traditional notions of fair play and decency.” In other words, the class action question is still open, but his view that such a practice is shockingly cruel for constitutional purposes, does not seem to be in doubt.

  2. Same Ken Buck who didn't understand how a Search Warrant works under the 4th Amendment?

    Yeah – maybe he'll primary his guy for the Senate.

Leave a Comment

Recent Comments


Posts about

Donald Trump
SEE MORE

Posts about

Rep. Lauren Boebert
SEE MORE

Posts about

Rep. Yadira Caraveo
SEE MORE

Posts about

Colorado House
SEE MORE

Posts about

Colorado Senate
SEE MORE

238 readers online now

Newsletter

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay in the loop with regular updates!