BROWNSVILLE, Texas (WCAX) New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Monday completed a two-day tour of Southern Texas to visit the facilities and meet families and children who are being held in immigrant detention centers.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
Gillibrand said the detainees are fleeing violence in their home countries and seeking asylum, but that the Trump administration is treating them like criminals.
"They are being demonized, they are being spoken of as criminals. They're seeking asylum. This is a country that has always believed that if you fear for your life, that we open our doors. That's what the Statue of Liberty stands for," said Gillibrand, D-New York.
Texas Congressman Marc Veasey joined Gillibrand on the detention center tour. He also disagreed with the way the president has characterized immigrants as criminals and gang members.
