So, on his way to Duluth, the president* signed that Executive Order that temporarily puts a stop to the separation of families at the border. Bizarrely, at least here on Earth 1, the president*’s proposal is exactly what the Obama Administration wanted to do as regards keeping migrant families together only to be enjoined by a court. (This is the “law” that the president* and his administration* kept citing as a reason for why the president* couldn’t do what he did today.) So whatever the president* wanted to do with this frantic walk-back is going to wind up tangled up in the courts almost immediately.



The order also does nothing to alleviate the suffering of children already separated from their parents, who already may be deported. And if you think this government is in any way prepared for the massive task of reuniting children with their parents who are still awaiting court proceedings and being held in custody, well, I have a lovely resort in Mexico I can get for you cheap.

There is also this provision in the EO, which does not make me feel better about the administration*’s ability not to make an even bigger hash out of this:



The Secretary of Defense shall take all legally available measures to provide to the Secretary, upon request, any existing facilities available for the housing and care of alien families, and shall construct such facilities if necessary and consistent with law. The Secretary, to the extent permitted by law, shall be responsible for reimbursement for the use of these facilities.

Remember when Mitt Romney burbled that he wanted to “double Guantanamo” and everybody laughed? At least he only meant in Cuba.

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Charles P. Pierce Charles P Pierce is the author of four books, most recently Idiot America, and has been a working journalist since 1976.

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