AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, has asked for the practice of children being separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border to come to an end.

In a letter to President Donald Trump, Straus calls for the "zero tolerance" policy be implemented by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to be rescinded immediately.

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"There is no federal law requiring the separation of children and parents at the border," Straus writes. "While it is certainly true that there have been family separations under previous Presidents, General Sessions' decision to criminally prosecute all adults trying to enter the United States has cause the number of separations to increase.

In response to Trump's statement that he might end the policies if congressional Democrats agree to some of his other border security objectives, Straus says in the letter that "it is wrong to use these scared, vulnerable children as a negotiating tool. Their suffering should also not be used to deter illegal immigration."

"Please listen to the growing number of Americans, faith leaders and elected officials from both parties who are voicing our concerns about this growing crisis,” the Speaker of the House pleads.

FULL LETTER BELOW