Stephen Colbert gets serious about lasting effects of Trump’s family separation policy

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On The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Wednesday night, Colbert took a break from the jokes for a few minutes and spoke seriously and passionately about the lasting effects of the Trump administration’s family separation policy. After thousands of children had been separated from their parents, last year a federal judge ordered the families reunited. But it was recently reported that the parents of 545 children cannot be located, partly due to the fact that many have been deported. Colbert’s rage wasn’t just reserved for President Trump, but also for former Attorney General Jeff Session and former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, both of whom were key in implementing the policy. Colbert said that this cruel policy is on the ballot this election, and implored the American people to collectively condemn the policy and the administration behind it with their vote.

Video Transcript

STEPHEN COLBERT: Think about the sheer number here. 545 kids.

- On "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" Wednesday night, Colbert set the jokes aside for a moment and railed against the Trump administration for the lasting effects of its family separation policy at the southern border. Last year, a federal judge ordered that the families be reunited. But it was recently reported that the parents of 545 remaining children cannot be located, partly because many have been deported. Colbert said that this kind of policy is on the ballot this election.

STEPHEN COLBERT: And I know that people vote on a lot of different issues. But now that we know that these children were stolen from their parents, and cannot be returned because of the negligence of this administration, that is one of the things you're voting on. You can't say you don't know.

- Colbert condemned former attorney General Jeff Sessions and former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for their push for family separations, telling prosecutors that they need to take away children, no matter how young. But Colbert believes that all Americans bear some responsibility.

STEPHEN COLBERT: And I don't believe the American people are evil. Maybe 545 kids is too many to wrap our heads around. That's eight school buses full of children. Maybe we feel too guilty to understand the magnitude of that crime and our responsibility.

- And Colbert said it's up to the American people to collectively condemn this sort of policy.

STEPHEN COLBERT: We have two weeks to decide what kind of country this is going to be. Either this inhumane behavior is going to be punished by the voters, or just change the Statue of Liberty to read, give me your tired, your poor, and half a million dollars in unmarked bills if you want to see the kids again.