by Donald Wood
Last updated: 4:09 PM ET, Wed June 20, 2018
Update: June 21, 2018 at 9:45 a.m. ET
Another major carrier in the United States, Delta Air Lines, has voiced their disapproval of the enforcement of immigration policies. The company did applaud President Donald Trump's Executive Order stopping the separation of children from their parents at the border.
"Delta's mission is to connect people and we are against anything that runs contrary to that mission. Recent reports of families being separated are disheartening and do not align with Delta's core values."
"We applaud the Administration's Executive Order resolving the issue of separating children from their families at the U.S. border."
Update: June 20, 2018 at 3:45 p.m. ET
In response to the backlash against his administration, United States President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order Wednesday that will stop the separation of children from their parents when caught illegally entering the country.
The Executive Order was released by the official website of the White House.
"It's about keeping families together while ensuring we have a powerful border," Trump said in a statement about the Executive order. "I didn't like the sight of families being separated."
Original Text
As Congress continues to battle over the immigration policies separating immigrant children from parents who cross illegally into the United States, airlines are voicing their displeasure by not working with the government to transport the kids.
United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz released a statement Wednesday denouncing the policy and stating the carrier would refuse to work with the U.S. government on the transportation of the children away from their parents:
"At United Airlines, we have been concerned about reports that commercial airlines have been used to transport immigrant children separated from their parents by a newly implemented immigration enforcement policy. Based on some research we have done internally and public reports, we have not seen evidence these children have been flown on United aircraft."
"Based on our serious concerns about this policy and how it's in deep conflict with our company's values, we have contacted federal officials to inform them that they should not transport immigrant children on United aircraft who have been separated from their parents. Our company's shared purpose is to connect people and unite the world. This policy and its impact on thousands of children is in deep conflict with that mission and we want no part of it."
American Airlines also released a statement through its official website:
"The family separation process that has been widely publicized is not at all aligned with the values of American Airlines - we bring families together, not apart. American, like many U.S. airlines, provides travel to the federal government through contracts; however, the government does not disclose information about the nature of the flights it takes or the passengers who are traveling. While we have carried refugees for non-profits and the government, many of whom are being reunited with family or friends, we have no knowledge that the federal government has used American to transport children who have been separated from their parents due to the recent immigration policy, but we would be extremely disappointed to learn that is the case."
"We have therefore requested the federal government to immediately refrain from using American for the purpose of transporting children who have been separated from their families due to the current immigration policy. We have no desire to be associated with separating families, or worse, to profit from it. We have every expectation the government will comply with our request and we thank them for doing so."
More airlines are expected to institute similar stances on the situation.
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