'Where is Ivanka in all this?' Maria Shriver, Meghan McCain among celebs calling out Trump's trusted adviser for failing to help detained children
Update: On Wednesday afternoon, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to end the process of separating children from their families. It’s being described as a “dramatic turnaround” for Trump, who made it clear, however, that the order would not end the “zero-tolerance” policy that prosecutes all adults caught crossing the border illegally. According to the Associated Press, Trump was influenced in his decision by first lady Melania Trump, who had been making her opinion known. Plans weren’t revealed as to how quickly the detainees will be reunited with their families.
With more than 2,300 children separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border and placed in detainment centers — or, as some have called them, “concentration camps” — one voice has been absent in failing to condemn the policy: Ivanka Trump‘s. Donald Trump‘s trusted senior adviser and, of course, daughter — who’s a children’s advocate — has been quiet on the matter, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Maria Shriver shared a post asking the first daughter, who is reportedly urging her father behind the scenes to end the separations, to “show what it means to be an advisor on women’s issues, a proponent of female empowerment” and it’s gotten some traction.
Now would be a good time for Ivanka Trump to show what it means to be an advisor on women’s issues, a proponent of female empowerment. You can’t be an advocate for women, mothers and not speak up about what is happening to women and children at this moment. #KeepFamiliesTogether
— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) June 19, 2018
And in case Ivanka missed that, the journalist, who is of course part of the Kennedy clan and the former first lady of California, followed up on Wednesday with more, telling the accessories designer turned politico to “step up or step down.”
I tweeted this yesterday. I haven't heard an answer @IvankaTrump. Step up or step down. https://t.co/TrV5qq4Avm
— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) June 20, 2018
It hasn’t been a lone cry. Celebrities from all walks of life — actresses, comedians, Olympians — have liked or shared Shriver’s posts or have made similar comments themselves. On Tuesday’s The View, Meghan McCain, daughter of Arizona Sen. John McCain, wanted to know: “Where is Ivanka in all this? Because she’s all for women and mothers, and she has a White House role … and I’m sort of interested that her platform has been women and mothers, and she doesn’t seem to have anything to say about this.”
TRUMP DEFIANT ON FAMILY SEPARATIONS: Outrage continues to grow over the Trump administration's "zero-tolerance" immigration policy and the forced separation of immigrant parents from their children — the co-hosts react to the latest. https://t.co/f8u2wc159S pic.twitter.com/q6o0t2muuE
— The View (@TheView) June 19, 2018
There are other voices as well, including Judd Apatow, who has been leading the charge in slamming Fox News’s border coverage.
My dad kidnapped babies and I said come on dad, that’s not cool. And he said to shut up. So I guess I tried. @IvankaTrump is a cult member. She is a coward. https://t.co/G9TH6nb7IV
— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) June 20, 2018
And there are others. Many, many others.
Good morning @IvankaTrump and @FLOTUS. Have you seen the papers? Have you turned on the news? They are separating thousands of children, including toddlers, infants, and the handicapped, from their parents and incarcerating them. HOW THE FUCK ARE YOU NOT OUTRAGED!?!?!?
— Ken Olin (@kenolin1) June 20, 2018
@IvankaTrump this is a moral emergency. you can do something real. https://t.co/QZCTAjuw8F
— Emmy Rossum (@emmyrossum) June 19, 2018
"There's a special place in hell for people who prey on children" – @IvankaTrump
The cries of these children are waiting to be answered. https://t.co/aiYHAt0YyU— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) June 18, 2018
@IvankaTrump told thePresident that this “looked bad”.. ???? No Ivanka, it is cruel and inhumane wrong and u should have spoken out. #shame
— Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) June 20, 2018
.@IvankaTrump, your “womanhood” and “motherhood” cards are about to be revoked. https://t.co/tB8DFxsEiU
— Justine Bateman (@JustineBateman) June 20, 2018
Hey @IvankaTrump Tell your dad to make it legal to let care workers pick up the babies and soothe them, okay?
— Jane Lynch (@janemarielynch) June 20, 2018
This is as evil as it gets. @IvankaTrump @realDonaldTrump @DonaldJTrumpJr @EricTrump you will always be remembered for this. It is not too late to change this path. https://t.co/NLyY5i7Nm2
— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) June 20, 2018
Please @IvankaTrump. You have influence with your dad. Do something. It’s so scary for them. They’re just babies, they need to be with their family. #FamiliesBelongTogether
— Valerie Bertinelli (@Wolfiesmom) June 20, 2018
Whatcha doin' @IvankaTrump ? Hanging out with your kids?
— Ever Carradine (@EverCarradine) June 19, 2018
We have to do something now! It’s not about about the law, it’s about human decency. Put these babies and children back with their parents and families. @IvankaTrump and Melanie shame on you for doing and saying nothing.
— lisa rinna (@lisarinna) June 20, 2018
Its almost as if Ivanka was just posturing when she said she cared about women and children https://t.co/deWXVAwsVH
— Chelsea Peretti (@chelseaperetti) June 20, 2018
Step 1: Tear kids away from their parents, lock them up & abuse them.
Step 2: Withdraw from the UN Human Rights Council.
Great job @nikkihaley @IvankaTrump @VP @FLOTUS https://t.co/EPax7dRRnV
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) June 20, 2018
.@IvankaTrump as ever, your vocal public condemnation of the separation of families is brave and shows what a true leader you are. these are the qualities that will serve you well when you are president yourself.
— Timothy Simons (@timothycsimons) June 20, 2018
A lot of outrage has been focused on Ivanka, who famously said there’s a “special place in hell for people who prey on children.” A meme has been widely circulated over the past few days of Ivanka in the $5,000 metallic Carolina Herrera gown she wore in Jan. 2017 next to some of the children under their metallic blankets in a detainment center.
Who wore it better: Children detained in McAllen, Texas or Ivanka Trump pic.twitter.com/atifVrteeY
— Orli Matlow (@HireMeImFunny) June 18, 2018
First lady Melania Trump has been on the receiving end of this too as the country looks for someone — anyone — to influence the president to fix the horrific situation. She too has reportedly been having conversations with POTUS to reunite the families.
Yeah, give that a good, hard think. What could you do……? https://t.co/u5LItLvkFA
— Julia Louis-Dreyfus (@OfficialJLD) June 20, 2018
As Shriver calls on Ivanka take action, her estranged husband, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the former governor of California and an immigrant himself, ripped Donald Trump and his entire administration.
The administration is right that we need to fix our immigration system. But if anybody is going to be in a cage while we wait for a comprehensive reform, let’s make it the politicians who don’t do their jobs in the cages, not innocent kids.
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) June 20, 2018
Meanwhile, the donations are pouring in to save the kids. The record-breaking Facebook fundraiser campaign created by Silicon Valley couple Charlotte and Dave Willner on Saturday to benefit RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services) has raised an astounding $12 million to help reunite the immigrant families. Following the $288,000 donation to the ACLU by Chrissy Teigen and her family (which raised more than $1 million total), George and Amal Clooney announced on Thursday that they’ll be donating $100,000 to the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights in honor of the important cause.
“At some point in the future our children will ask us: ‘Is it true, did our country really take babies from their parents and put them in detention centers?’” the Clooneys, who are parents to 1-year-old twins Ella and Alexander, said in a statement. “And when we answer yes, they’ll ask us what we did about it. What we said. Where we stood. We can’t change this administration’s policy but we can help defend the victims of it.”
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