Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) attacked the Trump administration's zero-tolerance immigration policy on Tuesday, calling for lawmakers who fail to reach a consensus on immigration reform to be put in "cages" rather than migrant children.
In a tweet, the actor slammed the White House and Congress for using migrant children as "pawns" in the national fight over a legislative fix for DACA recipients and the millions of other undocumented immigrants estimated to be in the country.
"As an immigrant, I know the magnetic power of America's greatness. As a former border Governor, I know the importance of securing our border and fixing our absurdly broken immigration system. As an American, I know that kids shouldn't be pawns while the "adults" figure it out," the former governor tweeted.
"The administration is right that we need to fix our immigration system," he added. "But if anybody is going to be in a cage while we wait for a comprehensive reform, let’s make it the politicians who don’t do their jobs in the cages, not innocent kids."
The administration is right that we need to fix our immigration system. But if anybody is going to be in a cage while we wait for a comprehensive reform, let’s make it the politicians who don’t do their jobs in the cages, not innocent kids.
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) 20 June 2018
Schwarzenegger was just one of several prominent Republicans to issue statements condemning the Trump administration's policy that mandates prosecution of all adults who cross the border illegally, thus separating them from their children in some cases. Thousands of children are currently being held in detention facilities as a result of the policy.
The actor, a frequent critic of the president and his administration, has spent his time following his departure meeting with other critics of the Trump administration, particularly concerning the White House's exit from the Paris Climate Accords last year.
Schwarzenegger attended a climate summit in Paris last December hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, which was attended by other top U.S. climate change activists including former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
