• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

2

The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 

3

Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026

1

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

2

The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 

3

Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
MPWImmigration

Melania Trump Says She “Hates To See” Family Border Separation in Rare Policy Statement

By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 18, 2018, 7:19 AM ET

First Lady Melania Trump uncharacteristically shared her own opinion about the separation of migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday.

Her statement, disseminated via her communications director Stephanie Grisham, said that “Mrs. Trump hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform.”

“She believes we need to be a country that follows all laws, but also a country that governs with heart,” the statement continued. It is rare for a first lady to speak out on administration policy. Melania Trump, who’s so far been less public than her predecessors, has put children’s wellbeing at the center of her agenda as first lady.

The first lady’s statement stands somewhat in contrast to the administration’s position—and yet does not diverge from it entirely. On the one hand, speaking out against the separation of children from their family does conflict with the “zero tolerance” policy put in place by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The policy not only mandates the criminal prosecution of asylum-seekers who illegally cross the border, but also controversially requires the separation of children from their parents, which is not legally required.

On the other hand, however, President Donald Trump has repeatedly placed the blame of a lack of immigration reform on Democrats. By referring to the responsibility of “both sides” in her statement, the first lady’s position may not differ that significantly from that of her husband.

Meanwhile, first daughter and presidential advisor Ivanka Trump, who’s cast herself as the White House’s champion of women and parents, continues to come under fire for her behavior amid the fervor.

MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski slammed Ivanka Trump on Friday as “tone deaf” for posting photos of herself and her children on Instagram as U.S. officials continued to divide families at the border. The first daughter is “missing the mark every step of the way,” Brzezinski said on Morning Joe. “We’re losing a sense of who we are.”

Democrats, for their part, have widely criticized the policy, calling it cruel and disgraceful. A growing number of Republicans have added their voice to the condemnation in recent weeks, including a variety of prominent lawmakers, former first lady Laura Bush, a conservative newspaper, and a former advisor to Trump.

Between April 19 and May 31 the administration has separated 1,995 children from 1,940 adults, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen denied responsibility for these separations, writing on Twitter on Sunday “We do not have a policy of separating families at the border. Period.”

About the Author
By Natasha Bach
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in MPW

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in MPW

dario
AIAnthropic
Anthropic confidentially files its S-1 first—but the IPO race with OpenAI is just beginning
By Allie GarfinkleJune 1, 2026
15 hours ago
ap
Arts & Entertainmentbooks
Ann Patchett opened a bookstore everyone said would fail. Now it’s a blueprint
By Hillel Italie and The Associated PressJune 1, 2026
21 hours ago
ms
Arts & Entertainmentbaby boomers
Why the economy forces boomers to work longer, then vilifies them for it
By Lee Ann Rawlins Williams and The ConversationMay 31, 2026
2 days ago
z
North AmericaNew York City
Zohran Mamdani to skip Israel Day Parade, breaking with decades of tradition for NYC mayors
By Anthony Izaguirre and The Associated PressMay 31, 2026
2 days ago
soccer moms
CommentarySports
Why soccer moms are shaping the future of football in the U.S.
By Ruslan BashirovMay 31, 2026
2 days ago
As part of her Citi turnaround, Jane Fraser cut management layers from 13 to 8. But the ‘great flattening’ doesn’t always work as intended
C-SuiteManagement
As part of her Citi turnaround, Jane Fraser cut management layers from 13 to 8. But the ‘great flattening’ doesn’t always work as intended
By Claire ZillmanMay 30, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
Environment
Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 1, 2026
17 hours ago
The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
Energy
The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
By Melissa HancockJune 1, 2026
20 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
22 hours ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
22 hours ago
After issuing more than $20 billion in tariff refunds, the Trump administration is now pursuing legal action to bring the process to a standstill
Law
After issuing more than $20 billion in tariff refunds, the Trump administration is now pursuing legal action to bring the process to a standstill
By Sasha RogelbergJune 1, 2026
18 hours ago
The Strait of Hormuz is splitting into U.S. and Iranian lanes as ship traffic picks up even while fighting intensifies
Energy
The Strait of Hormuz is splitting into U.S. and Iranian lanes as ship traffic picks up even while fighting intensifies
By Jason MaJune 1, 2026
20 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.