Balderas leads 21 attorneys general to write letter opposing ‘zero-tolerance’ policy

Twenty-one attorneys general across the United States – led by New Mexico’s Hector Balderas – signed a letter asking the federal government to stop enforcing the ‘zero-tolerance’ policy, which has the effect of separating families.

“There is a separation happening without any of the procedural effects that are placed in law by not only state legislature, but by Congress,” Deputy Attorney General Tania Maestas told ABC-7.

In an interview last week, Governor Susana Martinez defended the new policy.

“We don’t let people who break the law continue to be out and running around breaking the law simply because they have children,” Martinez said.

She said there is no way to quickly verify the children belong to the adults they accompany.

“Do we know and can we verify when they come across with a child in their hand that that child belongs to that adult?” Martinez asked.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen told reporters it’s time for the right branch of government to fix the problem.

“Congress and the courts created this problem and Congress can fix it,” Nielsen said.

But Maestas said the federal administration alone is responsible for the mess.

“Children are being separated from their parents,” Maestas said.