On Monday, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a "zero tolerance" policy for immigrants entering the country without documentation.
As a result of similar recent federal actions, immigrant parents have been separated from their children -- often U.S. citizens -- and have been forced to turn to other avenues for support, including churches.
One such religious institution includes the Columbus Mennonite Church, which recently allowed Edith Espinal of Mexico to be the first undocumented immigrant to take sanctuary in Ohio's capital.
Today we discuss the consequences of the new administration's immigration policies on families and on U.S. attorneys who anticipate a further decrease in the amount of time they can spend prosecuting major crimes.
Guests:
- Ira Mehlman, national media director/spokesperson, Federation for American Immigration Reform
- Reverend Kate Shaner, First Community Church in Columbus
- Jackie Kifuko, refugee organizer, Community Refugee and Immigration Services
- Edith Espinal, a Mexican immigrant mother who has been in sanctuary for seven months and is fighting to be at home with her family.