Pence to visit southern border with bipartisan group of senators

Vice President Pence announced that he will be visiting the southern border with a bipartisan delegation of senators amid growing criticism over the administration’s handling of migrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico.

“On Friday, @SecondLady & I will travel to the U.S./ Mexico border at McAllen, TX with a bipartisan delegation of members of the Senate Judiciary Committee,” the vice president tweeted Monday afternoon. “The Senate passed bipartisan humanitarian relief – but much more must be done to SECURE our border & end this crisis!” 

On Friday, @SecondLady & I will travel to the U.S./ Mexico border at McAllen, TX with a bipartisan delegation of members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Senate passed bipartisan humanitarian relief – but much more must be done to SECURE our border & end this crisis!

— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) July 8, 2019

{mosads}Late last month, the Senate voted 84-8 to approve a $4.5 billion border funding bill that provided nearly $3 billion in humanitarian aid. Although the House also approved a second border funding bill last month, the legislation contains key differences, like expanded funding for the Defense Department.

Washington Post reporter Seung Min Kim in a tweet Monday said the list of senators going on the the trip has yet to be finalized. 

The list of senators going to the border with Pence is not finalized as of yet, per aides. Will be interesting to see which Democrats decide to go …. https://t.co/qocd7ajJdG

— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) July 8, 2019

Pence has repeatedly called on Congress to act to improve conditions at the border. He said, “We’ve got to get to the root causes” of the reported conditions in border facilities in an interview last month.

“No American should approve of this mass influx of people coming across our border,” Pence told CNN. “I was at the detention center in Nogales, [Ariz.]. … It is a heartbreaking scene. These are people who are being exploited by human traffickers. … Congress has to act.” 

The Senate Judiciary Committee and the vice president’s office did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.