More children died in custody of ICE than Vaping, says former GOP president As Trump plans to ban e-cigarettes

While the Trump administration is preparing a ban on flavored electronic cigarettes after at least six deaths due to vaping-related lung disease, critics come back by pointing out that more and more people have died under the care of the drug. 39, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) United States under the leadership of Trump watch.

"More children died in custody of ICE [than] of vaping … I'm just saying, "tweeted the former president of the Florida Republican Party, Al Cardenas.

Cardenas, a lawyer and senior associate at Squire Patton Boggs, then retweeted an article that a Mexican in the custody of ICE in Illinois died last Tuesday, marking the eighth death in the custody of the federal agency this year.

The Ministry of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed in May the death of a 10-year-old Guatemalan girl, bringing to six the number of known migrant child deaths in eight months.

In June, a Justice Department attorney told the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal judges that ICE was not necessarily required to provide soap, toothbrushes or blankets to children in detention .

Cardenas' tweets illustrate the seemingly greater concern of the Trump administration about vaping, the safety of which needs to be further examined, in relation to the treatment of children and families of migrants.

On Wednesday, HHS Secretary Alex Azar announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will issue a directive banning non-smoking cigarettes to electronic cigarettes within 30 days. Among the reasons for the ban, a recent increase in vaping in minors is pending a review of the effects of the FDA on health, Azar said.

"The Trump Administration makes it clear that we intend to eliminate the flavored electronic cigarette market in order to put an end to the epidemic that is deeply affecting young people, families, schools , schools and communities, "said Azar. "We will not sit idly by, as these products become a ramp to access fuel cigarettes or nicotine addiction for a generation of young people."

Manufacturers of electronic cigarettes, including the well-known brand Juul, will have to submit official approval requests to be able to sell their flavors again.

First Lady Melania Trump, whose Be Best initiative aims to help children, sounded the alarm about the dangers of appeasement on Monday.

"I am deeply concerned about the growing epidemic of electronic cigarette use in our children," she tweeted, echoing Azar's language. "We must do everything in our power to protect the public from tobacco-related illnesses and deaths and cigarettes from becoming a nicotine addiction for a generation of young people."

On Wednesday, the first lady shared an infographic showing that the use of electronic cigarettes by young people continued to increase, while their use of traditional cigarettes was declining.

"The data show a strong use of flavored electronic cigarettes among our young people – it's our responsibility as parents to understand the dangers of vaping," she tweeted. "Our administration supports the removal of flavored electronic cigarettes from stores until approved by @US_FDA. #BeBest"

The data show a strong use of flavored electronic cigarettes among our young people. As parents, it is our responsibility to understand the dangers of vaping. Our administration supports the withdrawal of flavored electronic cigarettes from stores until they are approved by @US_FDA. #BeBest pic.twitter.com/02O5waTgIj

– Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) September 11, 2019

Neither the first lady nor her husband, President Donald Trump, have taken any steps to limit the number of deaths in custody in ICE, an issue that they have the power to deal with directly. Instead, the Trump administration has increased the resources devoted to the detention of migrants.

In August, the Trump administration transferred $ 116 million from the Department of Homeland Security agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to ICE to pay more beds. detention and transport. ICE had sufficient funds to hold about 42,000 people on average, but its average daily population is expected to reach 50,000 this month.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Newsweek Thursday.