Hillary Clinton: ‘Fundamental Rights, Civic Virtue, Even Facts And Reason Are Under Assault Like Never Before’

Former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton blasted President Trump for ripping families apart and treating children “cruelly as political pawns,” saying that “fundamental rights, civic virtue” and “even facts and reason are under assault like never before,” according to independent.ie.

“We are living through an era when fundamental rights, civic virtue, even facts and reason are under assault like never before. As we have been painfully reminded in my own country, the consequences are severe,” Clinton said during a special visit to Dublin, adding that “over the last few weeks, Americans from every political background, ideology and walk of life watched, heartbroken, as immigrant families were ripped apart, and immigrant children were treated cruelly as political pawns.”

Clinton’s remarks come just a few days after she criticized Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy, which has resulted in thousands of children being separated from their families at the border.



“Separating families is not mandated by law at all. That is an outright lie,” she said. “It’s incumbent on all of us, journalists and citizens alike, to call it just that.”

The Hill added:

Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to stop the practice of separating families at the border. But it remains unclear how or when the families that were divided will be reunited. Trump has maintained that the U.S. will have a “zero tolerance” policy for people that enter the country illegally.

Clinton said that Trump’s decision was a product of the pressure he faced from lawmakers and activists.

“In fact, it was because of the outcry from every corner of our country that the Trump administration was finally forced to take a step to end family separation,” she said. “Though the fight is far from over, and the children are not yet reunited with their families.”