When will Congress get serious about the suffering at the border?

Early on, Democrats were opposed to funding additional detention beds for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Republicans had problems with Democrats’ demands for changes in the administration’s asylum policies. At one point, negotiators thought they were close to resolving these conflicts, only to have other issues snarl the process. Beyond the money for security, one of the remaining disagreements is how much data sharing will be allowed between the agencies responsible for caring for migrant children and those that handle border enforcement.

The broader problem is that many Democrats have come to view the Trump administration as untrustworthy, and they are loath to hand over one more penny for anything to do with immigration. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus have been particularly adamant, insisting that their leadership take a hard line in negotiations. In part, they fear that the administration, despite its promises, will spend any additional funding on enforcement rather than humanitarian needs.

There is much to despise about this administration’s immigration policies, which are exacerbating this crisis, but there should be no ambivalence about the urgency of addressing the humanitarian needs. While lawmakers wring their hands and drag their feet, tens of thousands of migrant children are suffering.