The Daily Trump Said Family Separations Would End. They’re Happening Again.
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Aug 7, 2025 
Hamed Aleaziz, an immigration policy reporter for The New York Times, discusses the alarming return of family separations during Trump’s second term, despite his earlier promises to end the practice. He shares the heart-wrenching story of a Russian couple, Evgenia and Evgeny, who escape political persecution, only to face new dangers in seeking asylum. The conversation highlights the emotional and bureaucratic challenges families endure, as well as the ongoing public backlash against these painful policies.
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A Russian Family's Asylum Struggle
- Evgenia and Evgeny fled Russia for political activism and sought asylum in the U.S. via Mexico, facing challenges after Trump ended legal entry programs.
- They were detained, ordered deported rapidly, and faced separation from their child when refusing deportation to Russia.
Family Separation at JFK Airport
- At JFK Airport, the family was told refusal to comply with deportation would lead to separation from their eight-year-old son.
- Maxime was taken to government custody, separated from his parents who were detained by ICE.
Origins and Fallout of Family Separation
- The initial Trump administration's family separation policy sought to deter illegal border crossings by prosecuting adults and separating children.
- Massive public outcry led to legal intervention and Trump's executive order ending the policy in mid-2018.