Immigration security

White House defends immigration raids as ‘clear signal’ to Central Americans

Facing a sustained outcry from advocacy groups, the White House said Wednesday that the new series of immigration raids should discourage families in Central America from sending their children to the U.S. illegally.

“This should send a pretty clear signal to everyone, particularly individuals who are considering having their children smuggled into the country, that that’s a really bad idea,” said White House press secretaryJosh Earnest. “The pitch being peddled by human traffickers that they can get their child in the United States and their child will be allowed to stay is false. That is not an available option.”

Immigration advocates and some Democratic lawmakers are raising concerns that the raids, which the Department of Homeland Security said are a continuation of operations announced earlier this year, are not affording due process to some of the illegal immigrants being deported.