The issue of illegal immigrant children being detained at our southern border is nothing new. But the reporting about it has changed dramatically.
When this exact same thing was happening during the Obama administration, the Washington Post ran a glowing story about the benefits to the children involved. Here are some quotes:
"“Why don’t we remove these juveniles from the smuggling cycle?”" ("...teenagers often hired or conscripted by drug cartels that knew they would not be prosecuted if caught...")
"Drug cartels “exploit hundreds of juveniles, using them as smugglers, guides, and scouts; in turn these juveniles are responsible for smuggling thousands of illegal aliens and large amounts of narcotics...""
"Some (of the detained children) are allowed tourist-type activities, such as going to the beach or museums ... At least one youth earned a high school general equivalency diploma."
"“We haven’t heard of any mistreatment.”"
Now, let's compare that with the quotes in today's story, also in the Washington Post, about the exact same issue. The only change is that now it's the Trump administration.
"...the administration’s forced separation of migrant children from their families at the southern U.S. border."
"...outrage at the policy continued to build, including among some Republicans."
"Trump and others in the administration have falsely blamed the separations on a law the president claims was written by Democrats."
"“He’s playing a game.""
"“This is very, very bad for the Republican Party, and this is bad for the president.""
"“cruel” and “immoral.""
So, according to the Washington Post, kids being separated from adults bringing them across the border illegally under Obama are heroically being freed from the cycle of smuggling, whereas those same types of kids under Trump are subject to being ripped from their families in a cruel, immoral game.
#FAKENEWS