Country music star Willie Nelson, who is a vocal critic of President Trump, slammed the administration over its immigration policies which includes separating immigrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Nelson said the events at the border are “outrageous.”
“Christians everywhere should be up in arms,” Nelson said. “What happened to ‘Bring us your tired and weak and we will make them strong?’ This is still the promise land.”
From Rolling Stone:
The issue of immigrant children crossing the Mexico-Texas border is not a new concern of Nelson’s. In 2014, he talked to Rolling Stone about the issue. “I’ve been watching, and the only thing we can do is take care of those kids, whatever it takes. They’re scared. They’re being mistreated. And it’s not a good way to start off your life. But it’s a good opportunity for us to show a little bit of humanitarianism and take care of those kids. I know a lot of people want to send them back. I guess the closer you are to the situation, the more extreme emotions you have about it, but it seems to me the old golden rule, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,’ or ‘treat other people like you want to be treated’ … Treat those kids like they were your kids.”
Early last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Department of Homeland Security would forcibly separate children accompanied by adults crossing the border. As The Hill points out, the policy was enforced even in cases of asylum seekers.
According to a report from the Associated Press this Friday, nearly 2,000 children were separated from their parents between April 19 through May 31. Other reports say that the Trump administration will erect a “tent city” in Tornillo, Texas that will be designed to house 450 children.
Nelson’s history of championing social causes goes back a long way. In 2013, he told the Texas Monthly that gay people not being able to marry “in this day and age” is “ridiculous.”
As an environmentalist and an advocate for the legalization of marijuana, he launched his own “green fuel” company called BioWillie in 2007, and in 2015 started the Willie’s Reserve cannabis company.
In January, he announced his new album would feature a Trump-bashing song titled, “Delete and Fast-Forward.”
Featured image via Flickr
