Underwood Presses Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on Trauma Incurred by Children Separated from Families at Border

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Vice Chair of the Committee on Homeland Security, today pressed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on the Department's family separation practices. Today's hearing marked the first time Nielsen has testified before the Committee since the Administration instituted family separation at the border.

"I'm a nurse. I want to be very clear about what family separation is doing to children's mental and physical health," Congresswoman Underwood said. "From what I've heard today, I'm not sure if the Department of Homeland Security was so negligent they didn't know how traumatic family separation was for children, or if they knew and did it anyway. In my opinion, both are unacceptable."

Full video of Underwood's interaction with Nielsen can be found here.

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