Kirstjen Nielsen will forever be the face of one of the ugliest chapters in American history _ the forced separation of migrant families at the Mexican border, and the detention of children torn from their families. She presided over the operation while initially denying it existed.
Nielsen is gone now, forced to resign as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security before she could be fired by tweet. But President Donald Trump, who suspended forced separation in June amid widespread condemnation, wants to bring it back. That cannot happen.
Forced separation was a horrifying spectacle. It traumatized parents and children. Imagine not knowing where your child is. And a child, not knowing whether he or she would see a loved one again. Many kids later reunited with their families remain tormented. Some were abused during confinement. Now federal officials say they can't identify thousands of separated children, more than previously believed, and might need up to two years to do so. That's unconscionable. The government must use whatever resources it needs to track down these kids for possible reunification. Some migrant parents sent back to their home countries still await their children's return.
