Trump tries to blame Democrats for migrant children deaths

In a tweet Saturday, President Trump tried to blame the recent deaths of two migrant children in U.S. custody — 8-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo and 7-year-old Jakelin Caal — on Democrats for not implementing strict immigration policies that would deter parents from making the dangerous trek to the border.

Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They can’t. If we had a Wall, they wouldn’t even try! The two children in question were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol. The father of the young girl said it was not their fault, he hadn’t given her water in days. Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end. They are working so hard & getting so little credit!

Why it matters: This is Trump's first public comment on the death of the two children. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said in a statement that it's been "more than a decade" since a child died anywhere in the CBP process. Democrats plan to investigate the death of the two children when they take control of the House in January.