GENEVA — The United Nations’ top human rights official on Monday entered the mounting furor over the Trump administration’s policy of separating undocumented immigrant children from their parents, calling for an immediate halt to a practice he condemned as abuse. 
 
 United States immigration authorities have detained almost 2,000 children in the past six weeks, which may cause them irreparable harm with lifelong consequences, said Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights. 
 
 He cited an observation by the president of the American Association of Pediatrics that locking the children up separately from their parents constituted “government-sanctioned child abuse.” 

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– The UN humans rights chief issued his strongest denunciation yet regarding the separation of immigrant children from their parents at the US border and demanded that it stop immediately, reports the New York Times. "The thought that any state would seek to deter parents by inflicting such abuse on children is unconscionable," said Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the UN high commissioner for human rights. He also made reference to the American Academy of Pediatrics' characterization of the issue as "government-sanctioned child abuse." Other developments on the issue: No such policy: Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen tweeted Sunday, "We do not have a policy of separating families at the border. Period." She elaborated: "For those seeking asylum at ports of entry, we have continued the policy from previous Administrations and will only separate if the child is in danger, there is no custodial relationship between 'family' members, or if the adult has broken a law." New defiance: It's that last "broken a law" part that has led to the separations. Under the administration's new zero-tolerance policy, the feds are prosecuting all adults caught illegally crossing the border, and thus any kids with them are being taken away. "Illegal actions have and must have consequences," Nielsen told the National Sheriffs' Association Monday, per ABC News. "We are enforcing the laws passed by Congress," she said, adding that agents shouldn't apologize for doing their jobs, reports the AP.