Trump gave in to the faux outrage.
The optics are unacceptable. The political damage caused by separating parents and kids is devastating.
But Trump may prevail in the end. He is retaining his zero tolerance policy while detaining parents and kids together. He therefore changes the optics and forces the Dems to come clean regarding their true goal, which is to restore catch-and-release and do essentially nothing about the assaults on our border. That's because the policy of detaining lawbreakers and their kids will be challenged, likely successfully, in court. And at that point, Trump can say - look, America, you have a choice. Enforce the law or not. I bet that most Americans choose the former, and that Congress will at long last be forced to act.