Singer John Legend lashed out at House Speaker Paul Ryan on Saturday after the lawmaker posted a Father’s Day video about his children amid a controversy over a policy involving immigrant families getting split up at the border.
“Seriously, f–k you,” Legend tweeted. “Reunite the families at the border and we can talk about father’s day.”
Legend’s reaction comes as the Trump administration has drawn criticism for the separation of parents and children attempting to cross the southern border into the U.S.
In a Twitter video titled “How Becoming a Father Changed My Life,” Ryan reflects on how having children has altered his ambitions over the course of his career.
My life changed the day I became a father. Liza, Charlie, and Sam are my highest priority. Wishing all of the dads out there a happy early #FathersDay pic.twitter.com/w3UsSkR4Lf
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) June 16, 2018
In the caption, Ryan wrote that his “life changed the day I became a father.”
“Liza, Charlie, and Sam are my highest priority,” he continued. “Wishing all of the dads out there a happy early #FathersDay.”
In April, Ryan cited the goal of spending more time with his wife and children as a primary motivation for not seeking re-election.
Last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a “zero tolerance” policy saying that any adult who entered the country illegally would be criminally prosecuted. U.S. protocol prohibits detaining children with their parents because the children are not charged with a crime and the parents are.
As a result, several hundred children were split up from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border over a two-week period last month, according to Customs and Border Protection.
The president has fought back against criticisms and leveled blame at Democrats, who he claimed were “forcing the breakup of families at the Border with their horrible and cruel legislative agenda.” He tweeted Saturday that “Democrats can fix their forced family breakup at the Border by working with Republicans on new legislation, for a change!”
The Democrats are forcing the breakup of families at the Border with their horrible and cruel legislative agenda. Any Immigration Bill MUST HAVE full funding for the Wall, end Catch & Release, Visa Lottery and Chain, and go to Merit Based Immigration. Go for it! WIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2018
Democrats can fix their forced family breakup at the Border by working with Republicans on new legislation, for a change! This is why we need more Republicans elected in November. Democrats are good at only three things, High Taxes, High Crime and Obstruction. Sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2018
Legend and his wife, Chrissy Teigen, have been outspoken opponents of Trump’s administration. Earlier this week, Teigen took to Twitter to criticize the immigration policy and explained that she and members of her family were donating $72,000 to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to mark the president’s 72nd birthday and urged others to contribute what they could.
happy birthday, @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/BWEgRAcdPX
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) June 14, 2018
