A new study by the Urban Institute reveals that children whose parents are arrested in immigration raids face issues such as post-traumatic stress and other mental health disorders and opined the U.S. government should do something about this:

The study concluded the U.S. Congress should regulate how immigration officials handle workplace raids, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should have a consistent policy about releasing arrested parents to minimize harm to their children.

But U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Tim Counts says they’d just as well rather not, thanks:

“This report takes the bizarre position that ICE is somehow responsible for family disruption caused by parents who make poor decisions,” Counts said. “Law enforcement agencies across the nation arrest people who have children every day. Everyone understands that parents are responsible for their actions and the resulting impact on their families.”

Its tough. On the one hand, illegal actions have consequences. On the other, kids are small and kind of scary and dirty and are forever making bad jokes or doing stupid little dances and maybe a vacation away from them and their constantly runny noses isn’t all that terrible. Just kidding! We love kids. Breaded.

Study: Kids Hurt by Immigration Raids [The Associated Press]