Vice President Kamala Harris has finally made her way to the U.S.-Mexico border and is claiming the visit isn't a "new plan."
KAMALA: "I've been to the border many times...I said back in March I was going to come to the border, so this is not a new plan." pic.twitter.com/VEgw4OZYK8
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 25, 2021
Until former President Donald Trump announced his own trip to the border next week, Harris had no plans to visit. The White House has been downplaying the significance of the crisis for months as the number of illegal crossings continues to break records. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who is traveling with Harris, did that again today.
"extraordinary progress"
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) June 25, 2021
??
February: 101,120 illegal alien apprehensions
March: 173,348 illegal alien apprehensions
April: 178,622 illegal alien apprehensions
May: 180,034 illegal alien apprehensions
In May, apprehensions were up 674% from last year. https://t.co/pk3td9VHlH
Harris will spend the day in El Paso, which is nearly 800 miles away from the illegal immigration crisis happening in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley.
"She needs to go to the epicenter of this crisis." Former Acting ICE Director Tom Homan on VP Kamala Harris's trip to El Paso to visit the border, 93 days after she was tapped to lead the response to the migrant surge @BillHemmer pic.twitter.com/T6VgMGHiaJ
— America's Newsroom (@AmericaNewsroom) June 25, 2021
Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar is calling the trip "politically safe" and said her visit to El Paso won't give her a "true picture" of what's happening.
"Even if she goes to El Paso.. she's got to spend time with land owners, with stakeholders, with city and county officials.. and I hope she sits down with our brave men and women in green and in blue. " @RepCuellar ahead of VP Harris's trip to the border amid the migrant surge pic.twitter.com/FKQBU24DcL
— America's Newsroom (@AmericaNewsroom) June 24, 2021