Republican Sen. Ted Cruz announced legislation Monday aimed at keeping together families who cross the border illegally.
A statement on the senator's website says: "All Americans are rightly horrified by the images we are seeing on the news, children in tears pulled away from their mothers and fathers. This must stop. Now. We can end this crisis by passing the legislation I am introducing this week."
A "zero-tolerance" immigration policy announced in April has led to at least 2,000 migrant children being separated from their guardians. It's sparked backlash from religious leaders, human rights organizations and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Some key points in Cruz's legislation include mandating families be kept together barring "aggravated criminal conduct or threat of harm to the children," doubling the number of federal immigration judges and pushing for decisions on asylum cases within 14 days.
Senate Democrats have also created a bill that would ban the separation of children from their parents in most situations, but no Republicans have said they support the bill.
