Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenDimon: Wealth tax 'almost impossible to do' CNN's Don Lemon: 'Blow up the entire system' remark taken out of context Democrats shoot down talk of expanding Supreme Court MORE (D-Mass.) blasted the administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy on Tuesday, arguing that President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE is "taking America to a dark and ugly place."

In an interview on MSNBC's "Hardball," the liberal Democrat urged Republicans to convince Trump to apply prosecutorial discretion and end the mass separation of children from adults who face charges for illegally crossing the southern border.

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"This one hits deep, where America lives. Not just Democrat America, [but] Republican America, independent America, people who just don't care about politics," Warren said.

"People who say, 'This is not what America does. We do not put small children in cages,' " Warren continued. "What I care about is whether people push Trump to stop this, that's where we need to be right now."

"He is taking America to a dark and ugly place." @SenWarren on Trump's family separation policy. #Hardball pic.twitter.com/vwRIbM6YSI — Hardball (@hardball) June 19, 2018

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reports that as many as 2,000 migrant children were separated from their families in a period of six weeks between April and May of this year, a result of the Trump administration's policy of prosecuting every adult who crosses the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.

During a press briefing Monday at the White House, DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Kirstjen Michele NielsenMore than million in DHS contracts awarded to firm of acting secretary's wife: report DHS IG won't investigate after watchdog said Wolf, Cuccinelli appointments violated law Appeals court sides with Trump over drawdown of immigrant protections MORE laid the blame for the policy at the feet of Congress, saying lawmakers need to fix broader immigration problems rather than ask DHS not to enforce the law.

"This entire crisis, just to be clear, is not new," Nielsen asserted. “Currently, it is the exclusive product of loopholes in our federal immigration laws that prevent illegal immigrant minors and family members from being detained and removed to their home countries."



"Congress and the courts created this system, and Congress alone can fix it,” she added.

Senate Republicans on Tuesday voiced support for an immigration bill that would end the separation of children from their parents and guardians at the border, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellFEC flags McConnell campaign over suspected accounting errors Poll: 59 percent think president elected in November should name next Supreme Court justice Mark Kelly: Arizona Senate race winner should be sworn in 'promptly' MORE (R-Ky.) saying Republicans need to fix the problem through legislation.