In an op-ed published on Sunday, the former first lady called the separation policy "cruel," "immoral," and that "it breaks my heart."
The wife of George W. Bush wrote in The Washington Post:
"I live in a border state. I appreciate the need to enforce and protect our international boundaries, but this zero-tolerance policy is cruel. It is immoral. And it breaks my heart.
"Our government should not be in the business of warehousing children in converted box stores or making plans to place them in tent cities in the desert outside of El Paso."
Trump issued a rare political statement in the wake of increasing reports of family separations at the US-Mexico border, saying that she believed the US needed to be "a country that governs with heart."
Stephanie Grisham, Trump's communications director, told CNN: "Mrs Trump hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform.
"She believes we need to be a country that follows all laws, but also a country that governs with heart."
Also on Sunday, Collins and Flake (R-Ariz.) sent a joint letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar asking for details including the number of children who have been separated from their families, the DHS policy or legal theory that justifies the separations, and the training received by border guards who handle the family separations.
"It is critical that Congress fully understands how our nation's laws are being implemented on the ground, especially when the well-being of young children is at stake," the senators wrote.
1,995 minors were separated from 1,940 adults between April 19 to May 31, Homeland Security figures revealed.
Franklin Graham, the Evangelical leader and CEO of Samaritan's Purse who prayed at Trump's inauguration, also disavowed the policy.
Last week he described the policy as "disgraceful," and added that it was "terrible to see families ripped apart and I don't support that one bit." However, he blamed "politicians for the last 20, 30 years" rather than Trump explicitly.
Daniel DiNardo, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, also said: "While protecting our borders is important, we can and must do better as a government, and as a society, to find other ways to ensure that safety. Separating babies from their mothers is not the answer and is immoral."
Aside from winning four out if five evangelical voters in 2016, Trump also won white Catholics with a 23-point margin, of 60% to 37%.
The White House, however, has claimed that it was "very biblical to enforce the law."
Tesla tells some laid-off employees their separation agreements are canceled and new ones are on the way
Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' is the messiest, horniest, and funniest album she's ever made
One of the world's only 5-star airlines seems to be considering asking business-class passengers to bring their own cutlery
The Future of Gaming Technology
Stock markets stage strong rebound after 4 days of slump; Sensex rallies 599 pts
Sustainable Transportation Alternatives
Next Story