WASHINGTON, DC— Yesterday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a “zero-tolerance” policy for unauthorized border crossings and referenced separating parents and children at the border. In response, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva issued the following statement:

“When Sessions says ‘zero-tolerance,’ he really means ‘zero-compassion’ for any immigrant fleeing economic hardship and oppression. The United States is a refuge for immigrants from all over the world, and they form an important part of communities across the country. Now, Trump and his xenophobic officials are doing everything in their power to end this.

“Separating families at the border—including those with a legitimate asylum claim—sets a cruel precedent that has no place in our nation’s immigration process. It endangers the mental health of children, traumatizes families already fleeing unimaginable hardship, and is contrary to the legal obligations of the United States to those seeking asylum. I will work with my congressional colleagues to stop the Trump administration from targeting immigrant families and will work tirelessly to ensure we follow the law and introduce humanity and compassion back into our immigration system.”