Former Obama official, liberal activists share 2014 photos from detention facility as swipe at Trump

close

Video

Obama-era photos of immigrant children in cages go viral

Why the Trump Administration is being blamed for Obama-era photos of immigrant children in steel cages

A former Obama administration official, liberal activists and journalists incorrectly shared pictures of children sleeping in enclosed cages from 2014 to take a swipe at the Trump administration and its zero-tolerance policy towards parents and children crossing the border illegally.

It turns out the photographs were published by The Arizona Republic in 2014 after the authorities detained over 1,000 children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally and placed them in a detention facility. The Daily Calller first reported on the error.

Former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau tweeted one of the pictures showing kids in one of the enclosures, criticized the government for neglecting the children.

“This is happening right now, and the only debate that matters is how we force our government to get these kids back to their families as fast as humanly possible,” Favreau reportedly said before deleting the tweet.

Former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau tweeted one of the pictures showing kids in enclosed cages, noting that “this is happening right now” and criticized the government for neglecting the children. (Twitter)

The pictures follow a controversy over the Justice Department’s zero-tolerance policy of separating parents and children when they cross the border illegally.

“If you cross the border unlawfully, then we will prosecute you. It’s that simple,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said this month. “If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you. And that child may be separated from you, as required by law.”

Trump fired back on Saturday, suggesting the “horrible law” isn’t new and urged Democrats to support its repeal. “Put pressure on the Democrats to end the horrible law that separates children from there [sic] parents once they cross the Border into the U.S.” he tweeted.

Shaun King, a journalist and an activist, also tweeted the story from 2014. At the time of writing, the tweet has still not been deleted.

“I saw this photo floating around and didn’t know if it was real. It is,” King wrote. “Children of immigrants are being held in cages, like dogs, at ICE detention centers, sleeping on the floor. It’s an abomination.”

Linda Sarsour, a controversial progressive activist, tweeted the same pictures: “Take a look at these photos. #WhereAreOurChildren.” At the time of writing, the tweet has still not been deleted.

Jake Silverstein, editor in Chief of the New York Times Magazine also issued an apology after posting the pictures and suggesting they are recent.

“Correction: this link, which was going around this morning, is from 2014. Still disturbing, of course, but only indirectly related to current situation. My bad (and a good reminder not to RT things while distracted w family on the weekend),” he wrote.

Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report.