US First Lady Melania Trump has expressed concern over a controversial policy that separates families who illegally enter the country.
Mrs. Trump in a statement said she “hates to see children separated from their families” and wants to see “successful immigration reform.”
Her comments follow growing controversy over President Donald Trump’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy.
Former First Lady Laura Bush also spoke out, labelling the policy “immoral.”
In a recent six-week period there were nearly 2,000 family separations following a crackdown on illegal border crossings.
Adults who try to cross the border, many planning to seek asylum, are placed in custody and face criminal prosecution for illegal entry.
As a result, hundreds of minors are now being housed in detention centres, and kept away from their parents – a policy which rights groups have criticised as unprecedented.
In her comments, Mrs. Trump said she “hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle [Republicans and Democrats in Congress] can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform.”
“We need to be a country that follows all laws, but also a country that governs with heart,” her statement added.
She called for Republicans and Democrats to work together on the issue
Laura Bush, wife of the former Republican President George W Bush, went further and launched an outspoken attack on the policy.
“This zero-tolerance policy is cruel. It is immoral, and it breaks my heart,” she wrote in the Washington Post.
“Our government should not be in the business of warehousing children in converted box stores or making plans to place them in tent cities in the desert.
“These images are eerily reminiscent of the Japanese American internment camps of World War Two, now considered to have been one of the most shameful episodes in US history,” she added.
- Conservative newcomer Ivan Duque wins Colombia’s presidential election
Conservative political newcomer Ivan Duque has been elected president of Colombia.
At a victory rally in the capital Bogota, he pledged to unite the country following a divisive campaign.
But he said he wants to see changes to the historic but controversial peace deal agreed with Farc rebels in 2016.
Mr. Duque, who won 54% of the vote, said he will overhaul the agreement that guaranteed the rebels seats in Congress and allowed them to contest elections.
He also said he would impose tougher punishments on crimes allegedly committed by the rebels during the brutal five-decade conflict with the government.
“With humility and honour, I tell the Colombian people that I will give all my energies to unite our country. No more divisions,” he told a crowd of jubilant supporters.
Read also: Trump puts 25% tariff on Chinese goods
“I will not govern with hatred.”
Mr. Duque is viewed as the business-friendly choice because he wants to cut taxes and boost investment, raising money by shrinking the state.
His running mate, Marta Lucía Ramirez, will become Colombia’s first female vice-president.
In conservative Colombia, it’s another win for the right.
Rival Gustavo Petro put up a good fight and the fact that a left-wing candidate got to the second round was something Colombia hadn’t seen before.
The peace deal meant that left-wing politics became more acceptable and not associated with violence like in the past.
But in the end, the continued fear of the left in the country went down.
Mr. Duque was seen as the safer pair of hands to lead after more than 50 years of conflict.
With his campaign promise of changing the agreement struck with the FARC rebels, there’s a lot of uncertainty about what that will mean for the country’s prospects of long-term peace.
- New Jersey arts festival: One shooter dead and 22 injured
At least 22 people, including a 13-year-old boy, were injured in a gun attack at an all-night arts festival in Trenton, in the US state of New Jersey.
Police say at least two men opened fire at around 03:00 local time (07:00 GMT) as 1,000 people were enjoying the local art, music and food.
One of the suspects, a 33-year-old man, was shot dead and another is in custody, a local prosecutor was quoted as saying.
Four of the injured, including the teenager, are in a critical condition.
Police initially put the injured toll at 20 but raised it after two more victims arrived at local hospitals.
The motive for the attack is not yet clear.
Several weapons were said to have been found at the scene.
There are also reports of an attempted carjacking nearby but it is not clear if it was linked to the shooting.
One of the injured, Irving Higginbotham, said he was shot four times.
“Everybody was having a nice time,” he told Action News.
“The next thing you know, there were gunshots, got shot in the leg, fell on the ground, and that was it.”
Angelo Nicolo was attending the event with his brother. He told US media that they heard loud popping sounds and people started running down the street.
“I saw two police officers escort a guy that got shot in the leg. They bandaged him up and whisked him away,” Mr. Nicolo said.
- Taliban rules out extension of Afghanistan Eid festival ceasefire
A widely welcomed three-day ceasefire between security forces and the Taliban in Afghanistan appears to be over.
The Taliban said its militants had been ordered to take up arms again on Sunday night – now the Eid festival had ended.
The government says it will continue a unilateral ceasefire for another 10 days, although security forces can defend themselves if attacked.
There were unprecedented scenes of soldiers and Taliban insurgents hugging each other during the ceasefire.
But the ceasefire failed to end violence entirely.
At least 18 people were killed in a suicide attack in the city of Jalalabad, outside the office of the governor of Nangarhar province while officials were meeting Taliban insurgents.
Dozens were injured.
No group said it carried out the attack.
On Saturday a suicide bombing in the same province, also on a gathering of Taliban and local officials, left 36 people dead.
The Islamic State group said it carried out that attack.
The militants said there would be no extension to the ceasefire and fighters would be expected to leave government-controlled areas before sunset.