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zero tolerance

DHS secretary: 'We do not have a policy of separating families at the border'

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen claimed in a series of tweets Sunday that "we do not have a policy of separating families at the border," although Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced such a "zero tolerance" policy in May and the DHS has published guidelines on the separations on its website, HuffPost reports.

"If you don't want your child separated, then don't bring them across the border illegally," Sessions said, while President Trump has attempted to pass his policy off on Democrats. The administration nevertheless has faced backlash from Democrats and Republicans alike over the policy, which sees an average of two children separated from their families at the border every hour.