Governor Kim Reynolds.
Governor Kim Reynolds is calling on federal lawmakers in both parties to resolve the impasse over immigration policy. Her remarks to reporters this morning come amid a growing national debate about whether children should be separated from their parents who illegally cross the southern U.S. border.
“Children are being used as pawns in this situation and I don’t think that that’s the right thing to happen,” Reynolds said this morning. “I’m a mom and a grandma and what I believe is that congress needs to do their job. They need to get back and they need to work with the executive branch.”
The Republican governor of Massachusetts yesterday cancelled the deployment of National Guard troops and equipment from his state to the southern border. A spokesman for the Massachusetts governor said the move was because of “the federal government’s current actions resulting in the inhumane treatment of children.”
Reynolds stopped short of calling on President Trump to end the policy. “This isn’t a partisan issue. We need everybody working on this. We need congress to get back to Washington, D.C. and put an end to this,” Reynolds said. “We need to provide stability for families that are living in a very unstable situation. We shouldn’t be separating children from their family, but we are a nation of laws, so we need congress to act. We can get it done this week.”
There are two bills pending in congress to address the issue and Reynolds indicated passing either is preferable to passing nothing.
“It’s just horrific that children are being used as a pawn in this situation,” she said.
The Iowa National Guard has not been called to mobilize for immigration enforcement, according to the governor.
“So I think we need to wait and see what they’re asking of the National Guard and so we’ll respond at that point,” Reynolds said.
On Monday, officials announced about two dozen Wisconsin National Guard troops were heading to Arizona to assist in border security, with more to be deployed in the coming weeks.