The republican Trump administration has been telling us they don’t have any choice but to separate children from their parents that have crossed the border illegally. They tell us they must follow the laws. Let’s ignore for a minute that they are lying when they tell us that the law requires separation of children from their parents. It doesn’t. It requires that detained subjects not be detained for longer than 20 days. But again, let’s ignore that.

Let’s look at their lies that they must enforce the law. If that were true, it would apply equally across all areas of law. But there is ample proof that the Trump administration is highly selective about laws that it enforces.

Enforcing the law would mean that the EPA, run by scandal plagued Scott Pruitt, would need to protect American citizens from pollution and harmful substances. But the EPA under Trump has seen enforcement actions drop by one third. It sure isn’t because there are less violations of law. It is simply because the Trump Administration doesn’t care about the American public’s health and safety so it refuses to take action against polluters. The Trump administration is very eager to give a free ride to the same polluters that fund Republican campaigns and whose former executives staff the Trump administration.

Enforcing laws equally would also mean the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) would protect consumers against destructive actions by financial institutions. However, when the Associated Press executed a freedom of information act request on enforcement actions back in April 2018, it found that since President Trump fired the Obama appointed administrator and Mick Mulvaney took over the organization, there has not been a single enforcement action. Not one. Again, it doesn’t seem likely that financial institutions are suddenly much more compliant. Especially when we’ve got an administration that is open hostile to any laws that protect citizens from greedy corporations and financial institutions. Especially when those same organizations that so often take advantage of financial consumers are making huge contributions to the president and republicans. And when former executives of those same abusive organizations can be found throughout the Trump administration.

And then there is the Department of Justice’s refusal to enforce or support Affordable Healthcare provisions such as fines for those that don’t obtain insurance. Additionally, the Department of Justice is refusing to enforce the law when it says it will not defend against states that are suing to allow insurance companies to again deny coverage or charge much higher rates for people with pre-existing conditions.

This administration has a huge problem with telling the truth. Their policies are bad for the country and hard on our most vulnerable citizens, but these policies are made much worse by lies that pretend these things are not directly being driven by the Trump administration.

Make no mistake. Donald Trump and his administration are doing everything they can to weaken the rule of law in this country.