House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiHoyer: House should vote on COVID-19 aid — with or without a bipartisan deal Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose at Supreme Court McCarthy threatens motion to oust Pelosi if she moves forward with impeachment MORE (D-Calif.) on Tuesday blasted Republicans in Congress, accusing the party of complicity with the Trump administration's “zero tolerance” policy separating undocumented parents from their children at the border.

In a statement, the top House Democrat said that Republicans could call on 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 to end the policy at their White House meeting with the president Tuesday afternoon.

“Every day that Congressional Republicans allow the President to continue ripping children from their parents at the border is a stain on our nation," Pelosi wrote in a statement.

ADVERTISEMENT

"House Republicans could stop this outrageous practice in a heartbeat, if they showed the basic decency and humanity to demand that the President rescind his policy at their meeting with him today."

Pelosi's remarks follow her Monday visit to a detention facility in San Diego, after which she called on Homeland Security 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 to resign.

“This is not an immigration issue this is a humanitarian issue. It’s about the children,” Pelosi said following her visit.

Nielsen forcefully defended the policy and the White House's position on illegal immigration at a Monday White House press briefing, accusing Democrats and Congress of failing to act to solve the issue.

"This entire crisis, just to be clear, is not new," Nielsen said Monday. “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.