Note-Taking and Historical Evidence Assignment

The Human Cost of Zero Tolerance: Legal and Psychological Impacts of US Family Separation Policy at the Border Student’s Name Institution Course Instructor Due date The Human Cost of Zero Tolerance: Legal and Psychological Impacts of US Family Separation Policy at the Border Primary Source Note Entry (based on HIST 501 format) Source: PBS Frontline. (2018, July 31). Separated: Children at the border [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXqpQZ-NLhA Subject Title: Separated: Children at the Border – US Border Policy and Migrant Testimony Location of Source: PBS Frontline Documentary, YouTube Paraphrase This 2018 Frontline documentary presents firsthand accounts of Central American families impacted by the Trump administration's "Zero Tolerance" policy. Journalist Martin Smith interviews migrants like Maritza Amaya and Arnovis Portillo, both separated from their children after fleeing violence in El Salvador.. Arnovis's daughter was sent to a shelter; Maritza was released with an ankle monitor. One parent described surviving 52 hours in a truck with minimal food. Immigration officials, lawyers, and aid workers provide context for the policy's effects. The film also highlights abuse in detention centers and the dangers migrants face on the journey north, including violence and sexual assault.[PBS Frontline. (2018, July 31). Separated: Children at the border [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXqpQZ-NLhA] Analysis This documentary is a valuable primary source, capturing the human impact of the 2018 US family separation policy through firsthand testimony and investigative reporting. It features interviews with migrants and government officials explaining the rationale behind the policy. The footage offers emotionally powerful insight into a controversial moment, supporting my thesis that the policy was a moral and political failure with lasting psychological effects. It also allows comparisons to previous administrations, revealing continuity and escalation in US border enforcement practices. Source: US Department of Justice. (2018, April 6). Attorney General Announces Zero-Tolerance Policy for Criminal Illegal Entry [Press Release]. https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/attorney-general-announces-zero-tolerance-policy-criminal-illegal-entry Subject Title: Zero Tolerance Policy Announcement – US Immigration Enforcement, April 2018 Location of Source: US Department of Justice – Office of Public Affairs Archive Paraphrase On April 6, 2018, the US Department of Justice issued a press release announcing Attorney General Jeff Sessions' "zero-tolerance policy," which directs US attorneys to prosecute all cases of illegal entry under 8 U.S.C. § 1325(a). Sessions cites a 203% rise in border crossings and blames Congress for failing to act. The policy builds on a 2017 directive to prioritize immigration enforcement, emphasizing national security and the rule of law, and urges the full prosecution of all referrals from the Department of Homeland Security.[US Department of Justice. (2018, April 6). Attorney General Announces Zero-Tolerance Policy for Criminal Illegal Entry [Press Release]. https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/attorney-general-announces-zero-tolerance-policy-criminal-illegal-entry] Analysis This press release is a key primary source that outlines the Trump administration's justification for family separations and mass prosecution of border crossings. It presents immigration as a national security threat and reflects a deliberate strategy aimed at deterring unauthorized entry into the country. Sessions' rhetoric signals a shift toward punitive enforcement. The document reveals how official policy translated into a humanitarian crisis, supporting my argument that family separation was not accidental but a calculated outcome of executive immigration enforcement priorities. Secondary Source Note Entry...