The people who were so callously treated in this blatant, and likely illegal, stunt are not illegal immigrants. They are asylum seekers who are attempting to follow our poorly conceived and politically motivated laws. Many of them will miss appointed court dates because of this, and would, if not given some extension of consideration, be made ineligible for the status they came here seeking.

This was, beyond the political show meant to distract voters from the very real problems our country faces, the intention of those who were involved in the conception and prosecution of several criminal acts. That may get some traction politically, but that will likely be confined to those who side with the racist and fascist hard-right wing of our country.

This should be treated as the criminal act that it was by our Justice Dept and every federal or state employee who was complicit should be charged and prosecuted. There is a dangerous contingency of fascists working within our federal and state governments that feel that they now have the political backing to out their intentions. We need to show them that this is far from the reality in our country and make an example of them in the harshest manner possible, regardless of their political positions.