Suffer the Little Children

The Trump administration’s "zero tolerance" immigration policy has created a humanitarian crisis almost unprecedented in the history of our country. Desperate refugee families fleeing potentially life-threatening situations are being further victimized as they try to seek asylum in the United States.  We have witnessed images of crying children being systematically separated from their parents, held in detention centers, not knowing their fate.  How can we stand by as vulnerable children are further traumatized by this practice which can cause irreparable harm to innocents, affecting their intellectual, emotional and even physical health?  Where is our morality and compassion? 

The American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians and the American Psychiatric Association have all spoken out against this ruthless practice.   Former First Lady Laura Bush has stated that while she understands the need for border security, "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.  These images are eerily reminiscent of the Japanese American internment camps of World War II, now considered to have been one of the most shameful episodes in U.S. history."

In my opinion, to do nothing to right this wrong is to be complicit.  Each one of us needs to take action to stop this horrific and inhumane practice.  Call upon your elected officials to put decency above politics.  We can and must find a better solution.


Judith Wolf, MD
Associate Director, WHEP