In Alamogordo investigating boy’s death, senator says Trump waging “war on migrant children”

While investigating the death of a migrant child in the custody of the federal government, a U.S. senator said President Donald Trump is waging a “war on migrant children.”

“We’ve seen this war manifested in so many different ways,” said United States Senator Jeff Merkley, a democrat from Oregon. He later added, “Now, the president is pursuing family incarceration.”

Felipe Gómez Alonzo, 8, died just before midnight on Christmas Day, according to Customs and Border Protection. His death came less than three weeks after the death of seven-year-old Jakelin Caal. Both were from Guatemala.

The group of democrats who visited Alamogordo on Monday included U.S. Representatives Xochitl Torres Small and Veronica Escobar, both democrats representing Las Cruces and El Paso.

“While we absolutely mourn the deaths of Jakelin and Felipe, the crisis is broader and more significant than just these two little lives that were lost,” Escobar said.

“As we continue our investigation, I want to make sure we are working together to address real border security,” said Torres Small. “Which means having a strong, smart and fair approach to our border policy.”

A commissioner from Otero County attempted to ask a question about how the elected officials would prevent the drug cartels from entering the United States, but was ignored.

“There’s a disconnect between local leadership and federal leadership,” said Commissioner Couy Griffin, who represents district two.

Congressman Joaquin Castro, the head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, did not answer Griffin’s question. The commissioner said he reached out to Torres Small about a meeting, but only heard a response within a half hour of the news conference.

“We’re the ones on the ground,” Griffin said. “We’re the ones affected by the border and illegal activity.”

The Democratic lawmakers were critical of Trump’s decision to visit the border on Tuesday.

“It would be profoundly inappropriate for the president of the United States to circumvent the legislative branch of the United States government, the United States congress and single-handedly against the will of the American people and the American Congress, put up a border wall,” Castro said. “We would challenge it in every single way that we could.”