Proposition 54K3184

Proposition de résolution concernant la séparation des enfants de leurs parents par le gouvernement américain.

General information ¶

Authors

Ecolo Marcel Cheron, Muriel Gerkens, Georges Gilkinet, Benoît Hellings, Jean-Marc Nollet, Gilles Vanden Burre
Groen Meyrem Almaci, Kristof Calvo, Wouter De Vriendt, Anne Dedry

Submission date

June 20, 2018

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

United States international law child protection migration policy resolution of parliament

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

Groen CD&V Vooruit Ecolo LE PS | SP DéFI ∉ Open Vld N-VA MR PVDA | PTB

Abstained from voting

PP VB

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

July 18, 2018 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

Mrs Grovonius returns to the written report.

I will be brief. I have not been able to intervene in the committee, but it is still good to express our position for a moment.

The present proposal for a resolution concerns a topic that has terrified us in recent weeks, in particular the separation of children and their parents by the U.S. government. The sound fragments that we have heard and the images that we have seen will be engraved in the memory of many. It is therefore logical that we react to this with a lot of horror and outrage. It is also unacceptable for us that children are separated from their parents.

The above text is somewhat updated, but it is not because U.S. President Trump already signed an executive order on June 20, that the practice would stop and that the problem has been completely solved. It is important that we clearly state that we cannot agree to separate children from their parents. The resolution also states that the best interests of the child should always take precedence over the objectives of migration policy or administrative concerns. This is also our belief: children should never be fooled by the decisions of their parents or used as a means to evacuate people to the United States or any country.

In the light of this, it is important for us that we prioritize human rights, and more specifically the rights of the child. The resolution will therefore receive our full support.

Mr. Speaker, my group will support this proposal because we are also convinced that the best interests of the child should always prevail. It should be pointed out that if we should be moved by what is happening in the United States, we should also be moved by what the federal government is doing today, especially with regard to closed centers. In Belgium too, children will unfortunately find themselves locked up. If the child’s interests should prevail in the United States, it would be wise that it prevails here too.

Mr. Speaker, I would simply like to clarify that, following the work, the Government will implement the requests addressed to it regarding the US positions. Only one point of the resolution that will be voted tomorrow is over. This is about the Human Rights Council. Unfortunately, the United States has withdrawn. We are asked to insist that they do not withdraw, but the decision has already been made.

As for the other two points, we will ⁇ take them with us. I think it is very useful to ask such a question to our American colleagues.

Does anyone ask for the word?

Does anyone ask for the word?