(CNN)The White House’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy and resulting separations of undocumented parents and kids is exploding into the most emotive and politically unpredictable test yet of President Donald Trump’s effort to change the character of America.
As outrage grows over traumatic stories of families being torn apart, the big question this week in Washington is how long the controversial practice will be politically sustainable amid a wave of criticism.
A related issue is whether Trump will pay a political price for his false claim that the separations are the fault of Democrats, and not the result of his own administration’s change in how undocumented immigrants are treated.
Those questions are likely to be shaped by increasing calls for the administration to consider the morality of separating families. It’s not just the usual Democrats who are criticizing the administration — some prominent Republicans, including first lady Melania Trump and former first lady Laura Bush, religious leaders and influential figures in Trump’s conservative evangelical base are also speaking out.
“It’s an atrocious policy,” former White House communications director and Trump ally Anthony Scaramucci said on CNN’s “New Day” Monday. “It’s inhumane. It’s offensive to the average American.”
Still, the President continued to press Democrats to climb down on their opposition to sweeping changes he wants to make to the immigration system.
“Why don’t the Democrats give us the votes to fix the world’s worst immigration laws? Where is the outcry for the killings and crime being caused by gangs and thugs, including MS-13, coming into our country illegally?” the President tweeted Monday morning.
Why don’t the Democrats give us the votes to fix the world’s worst immigration laws? Where is the outcry for the killings and crime being caused by gangs and thugs, including MS-13, coming into our country illegally?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2018
Critics argue that the separations are cruel and un-American, using the issue to try to build a tide of distaste against the President and the GOP ahead of midterm elections.
A rare foray into politics by the former first lady significantly cranked up the political heat.
Bush said she appreciated the need to protect the border, but added, “This zero-tolerance policy is cruel. It is immoral. And it breaks my heart.”
“Our government should not be in the business of warehousing children in converted box stores or making plans to place them in tent cities in the desert outside of El Paso,” Bush wrote. “These images are eerily reminiscent of the Japanese American internment camps of World War II, now considered to have been one of the most shameful episodes in U.S. history.”
Current first lady Melania Trump also expressed concern about the situation, though she did not break with her husband’s position that only Congress can stop the separations.
“Mrs. Trump hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform,” her communications director, Stephanie Grisham, told CNN on Sunday.
Yet despite rising anger, it remains unclear whether the President is willing to risk the personal embarrassment, and potentially a backlash from his base, that a change of course might stir.
Trump’s uncanny connection with his loyal voters has been highlighted…
