LDS church blasts family separations at US-Mexico border

The Mormon church says it’s “deeply troubled” by the separation of families at the U.S-Mexico border and is urging national leaders to fix the situation and find compassionate solutions.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ spokesman Eric Hawkins said in a statement Monday the forced separations are “aggressive and insensitive” and especially harmful to the children.

The statement aligns with the Utah-based religion’s past calls for a compassionate approach to immigration reform. Earlier this year, the church called on national leaders to support “dreamer” immigrants who the religion says have earned the right to continue to contribute positively to society.

Other religions including the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops have already condemned the Trump administration’s policy of separating children from their parents at the border, which the U.S. has defended as enforcing the law.