Hillary Clinton used a Bible quote on Monday to counter the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" border immigration policy, an obvious swipe at Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Fox News reported that while speaking at the 8th Annual Elly Awards, hosted by the Women's Forum of New York, Clinton quoted Matthew 19:14.
"Jesus said suffer the little children unto me," Clinton said. "He did not say let the children suffer."
"I've studied the bible, both the Old and the New Testament," Clinton said. "What is being done using the name of religion is contrary to everything I was ever taught."
Angst over the handling of people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border with children has been increasing, with Sessions last week quoting the Bible to support the policy of separating the children from the people accompanying them.
"I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13, to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order," Sessions said. "Orderly and lawful processes are good in themselves and protect the weak and lawful."
Clinton also called President Donald Trump's statement that separating children from families was a result of a law created by the Democrats "an outright lie."
"Every parent who has ever held a child in their arms, every human behind with a sense of compassion and decency, should be outraged," Clinton told the audience, calling the situation a "moral and humanitarian crisis."
The administration's actions were championed by the National Review last month, saying that Trump has not changed rules pertaining to separating an adult from the child and that separation only happens when officials find the adult is falsely claiming to be the child's parent, or is a threat to the child, or is put into criminal proceedings.
"It's the last that is operative here," the magazine said. "The past practice had been to give a free pass to an adult who is part of a family unit. The new Trump policy is to prosecute all adults. The idea is to send a signal that we are serious about our laws and to create a deterrent against re-entry. (Illegal entry is a misdemeanor, illegal re-entry a felony.)"
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