Issued by the American Humanist Association Board of Directors
June 22, 2018

The American Humanist Association condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific and reprehensible actions of the perpetrators Donald J. Trump, Jefferson B. Sessions, Kirstjen M. Nielsen and individuals acting under their direction, in separating children from their parents and legal guardians at the borders of the United States.

We believe that the actions taken by these perpetrators under the color of governmental authority are ethically indefensible and in violation of US treaty obligations governing human rights and the treatment of refugees—treaty obligations that the US Constitution declares the supreme law of the land under the Supremacy Clause.

These actions fail to meet any metric by which we would define a civilized society in the twenty first century and are purposefully and intentionally cruel to families, children and people at risk who, in many instances, have done nothing illegal.

We call on all individuals with any sense of decency to do anything in their power to mitigate the effects of these reprehensible actions on the children and families targeted.

We do not believe that recent claims of a change in policy in any way absolve these perpetrators of responsibility for the continuing effects of their actions on children and families.

We look forward to the day when these perpetrators will be held accountable for their reprehensible actions.