Kellyanne Conway points to 'Deporter in Chief' Obama in defense of ICE raids
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}While the Trump administration is taking heat from Democrats as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) begins deportation operations across the country, White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway claims that the president is simply following in the footsteps of his Democratic predecessor.
Recalling how raids were carried out under President Obama, Conway discussed the reputation the 44th president garnered due to his actions against undocumented immigrants.
ICE DEPORTATION RAIDS UNDERWAY IN NEW YORK CITY, 'NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS,' OFFICIAL SAYS
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“He was referred to as ‘Deporter in Chief,’ very harshly in 2012,” Conway noted, “and he said ‘I’m not a king, I have to enforce the law.’”
Conway said that the ongoing deportation operations are simply part of ICE’s job.
“ICE does this every single day, it’s called enforcement actions," she added, point out that the people being targeted are those who already have final removal orders against them after they exhausted their appeals.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Conway also discussed the ongoing crisis at the southern border, saying she is opposed to separating children from their parents.
“I think you can enforce the law without separating families,” she said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Conway blamed the practice on those who are no longer part of the administration. Family separation drew headlines when it started taking place on a large scale under a zero-tolerance policy on illegal border crossing that started under former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.