Willie Nelson Calls Family Separation at U.S. Border ‘Outrageous’

"Christians everywhere should be up in arms," said the singer.

Written by Lauren Laffer
Willie Nelson Calls Family Separation at U.S. Border ‘Outrageous’
AUSTIN, TX - JULY 04: Singer-songwriter Willie Nelson performs onstage during the 44th Annual Willie Nelson 4th of July Picnic at Austin360 Amphitheater on July 4, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/WireImage)

Willie Nelson is standing up for immigrant children being separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. Calling the Department of Justice’s policy “outrageous,” the country legend is speaking out for those who cannot.

“What’s going on at our southern border is outrageous. Christians everywhere should be up in arms. What happened to ‘Bring us your tired and weak and we will make them strong?’ This is still the promise land,” Nelson said in a statement to Rolling Stone Country, seemingly citing lyrics from his song “Living in the Promiseland.”

In May, President Trump and his administration began a zero-tolerance policy for all immigrants illegally crossing the border to be prosecuted. Since then, CNN reports nearly 500 children have been separated from their families because minors cannot be held in criminal custody.

The issue of children crossing the border into the United States from Mexico is one that the Texas native has never shied away from talking about.

In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2014, the singer said, “I’ve been watching, and the only thing we can do is take care of those kids, whatever it takes. They’re scared. They’re being mistreated. And it’s not a good way to start off your life. But it’s a good opportunity for us to show a little bit of humanitarianism and take care of those kids. I know a lot of people want to send them back. I guess the closer you are to the situation, the more extreme emotions you have about it, but it seems to me the old golden rule, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,’ or ‘treat other people like you want to be treated’ … Treat those kids like they were your kids.”