Reacts To Carriers' Demand To Stop Putting Immigrant Children On Their Airplanes

This week's battle over immigration and separating children from those who brought them illegally into the country ... in some cases their parents ... has spilled over into at row between major U.S. airlines and the Department of Homeland Security.

Earlier this week, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines and Frontier Airlines all demanded the the U.S Government stop transporting such children back to their home countries on their airplanes. But at the same time, the carriers admitted that they were not sure they were being used for such purposes.

According to Fox News, DHS blasted the airlines in a statement from press secretary Tyler Houlton. "It’s unfortunate that American, United, and Frontier Airlines no longer want to partner with the brave men and women of DHS to protect the traveling public, combat human trafficking, and to swiftly reunite unaccompanied illegal immigrant children with their families," the statement read.

"Buckling to a false media narrative only exacerbates the problems at our border and puts more children at risk from traffickers. We wish the airlines would instead choose to be part of the solution.

"For 15 years, the Department of Homeland Security has worked diligently with America’s airlines to secure aviation and facilitate the travel by air of millions of Americans and visitors and we will continue to do so," Houlton said in the statement.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday in an effort to address the issue. That move was applauded by Delta Airlines in a statement released by the carrier. "Recent reports of families being separated are disheartening and do not align with Delta’s core values. We applaud the Administration’s Executive Order resolving the issue of separating children from their families at the U.S. border,” Delta's statement read.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original report