Dan Kildee: “My first real professional job was as a social worker at Whaley Children's Center in my hometown of Flint, protecting…”

“My first real professional job was as a social worker at Whaley Children's Center in my hometown of Flint, protecting kids who had been the subject of child abuse, victims of child abuse. We knew then, as we know now, that the best place, ultimately, for those kids was to get them back in their family. We worked to reunite kids with their families. So it is particularly offensive to see the President of the United States, the Government of the United States, adopt policy that intentionally separates children from their families. This is child abuse. This is child abuse. Nothing else. The notion that a government would engage in this practice ought to offend everyone, and the idea that the President is congratulating himself for ending a policy that he, himself, ordered to separate children seeking asylum in this country from their families is ridiculous. Those who have sat silent as this has happened are complicit in this policy. Now, today, we will take up two pieces of legislation, neither of which deal substantially with the immigration problem. My God in Heaven, let's get this done. ____________________”