PATERSON, NJ. – Today, U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) excoriated the Trump administration’s failure to reunite separated families following a call with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to discuss the Department’s Office of Refugee Resettlement and the Unaccompanied Alien Children Program.

“In today’s last-minute call with Members of Congress, HHS Secretary Azar did not answer questions. Azar shucked and jived more than a welterweight. Despite Azar’s claims that children are being well cared for, every day we hear evidence to the contrary. PBS today reported on a child who wasn’t bathed in weeks and was returned covered with lice. Families are permanently separated, children are being held hostage apart from their mothers, and Trump and Azar hide behind bureaucratic bullspit. What must be done is very simple. The court order must be enforced. Today. Families must all be reunited. Now. Children should not be taken from their parents. It isn’t rocket science. But listening to the gibberish from Azar’s mouth, the Trump administration doesn’t have an atom of compassion or competence. They’ll continue to drag their feet. I’m mad as hell and I won’t stand for it.”