Vice President JD Vance faced intense criticism after responding to a handwritten letter from a seven-year-old girl detained in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility during a recent interview with a major television network.
Letter From Detention Facility
During the interview, Vance was shown a letter written by a child identified as Valentina Paz, who described missing her school, friends, and grandparents while in custody. The young girl wrote that she did not feel comfortable in the detention facility, though her specific location was not disclosed. The interviewer asked Vance, who has three children ages four through nine with a fourth expected in July, to consider what he would tell the child if one of his own kids were in a similar situation.
Vance acknowledged the letter as heartbreaking but stated he did not know enough about the specific circumstances. He then pivoted to explaining the administration’s immigration enforcement policies, stating that he and President Trump pursued these measures to protect children from sex trafficking and dangerous living conditions. The Trump administration claims to have saved 60,000 migrant children from trafficking and child labor.
Detention Numbers Climbing
Recent figures from ICE show over 6,200 children have been detained during Trump’s second term. This marks a significant increase from the previous administration, when former President Biden ended family detention practices in 2021. Under Biden’s final year, ICE held an average of 24 children daily. Trump restarted family detention upon returning to office, a policy that keeps children in custody alongside their parents. The Marshall Project, a nonpartisan news organization, reported these statistics based on recently released government data.
Public Reaction And Policy Defense
Social media users sharply criticized Vance’s response, with many pointing to his Catholic faith, which he embraced through conversion in 2019. Critics noted the contrast between his religious values and his policy stance. Vance defended the enforcement approach by arguing that any deportation policy creates difficult situations when individuals have family connections. He cited violent criminals with convictions as an example, noting that even agreed-upon deportations can result in family separations. The vice president emphasized that previous immigration policies resulted in hundreds of thousands of children being brought into the country, with some experiencing trafficking or living without access to basic necessities like food and medicine.
The child was led by her parents it is the fault of the parent who brougt the child to the U.S knowing the possiblity of getting detained.I know people come here to have better life but we have restrictions in place to protect the who are here and the poeple who come here.Stop blaming the Goverment and read up on how you need proper procedures to follow.My Great grand father came here in 1900 anddid everything right even was going to go overseas again when ww1 broke out but did not becuase he was one of many soilders getting on a troop ship was told the war was over.So please read history and not bash Govement we are not a welfare country so think about people killed here by illegals.
WELL SAID!
It is by far better to have the child in a detention facility than in the hands of sex trafficers!
There is no concrete proof of the alleged murders or sex traffic. This is all fallacious BS proposed by the Trump Administration support their inhumane immigration practices.
so ALL the claims of ‘ murders or sex traffic’ are just made up – they sure weren’t under Biden!
You are either lying or have been living under a rock . The information is quite easy to find if you are not lazy or stuck in an ideological loop.
This comment I wrote was meant for Joel.
It is unfortunate that every parent that is arrested or goes to prison is separated from their children. This can be avoided by simply protecting children by following the law of the land you inhabit.
Dear Lord when did we punish children for there Parents Misgivings? They are Inacent!! Where has Compassion and the well being come into play? What has happened to us to have such hatred towards anyone? I Hurts My Heart to see what this County has turned into!!
How do these children get there in the first place – the other side of the coin is that we are ripping families apart by splitting the group up! WE are NOT the ones punishing the children by allowing them to stay togather!
Did you boo hoo and whine when Obama & Biden kept kids in cages?
I know it hurts what’s going on at the detention center but people should come legally by following the rules. The parents brought it to themselves. They came here illegal bringing their children along with them. If the USA is an open border then we the people of the USA will have problem with crime, economy, and lots more like the third country. Do we want that in USA?
PARENTS are responsible for their children!! When they come into the country illegally and bring their children, it’s THEIR fault for the consequences! I feel badly for the kid(s) BUT, it’s still the PARENT’S fault, NOT the government which has to take action!!
Will Vance make any effort to find the young girl and what her issues are and get her some help.
As a parent I would much rather have my children with me under my care. I’m sure this child is not desiring to be separated from her parents and as a seven year old is hoping all her family will be released. The VP gave a fair answer. Unfortunately children do suffer because parents break the law.