Bipartisan lawmakers head to Mexico City to tackle border security, fueled by frustration
Frustrated U.S. Lawmakers Take Urgent Action on Immigration Enforcement
MCALLEN, Texas — Frustrated U.S. lawmakers will arrive in Mexico City on Sunday to echo the Biden administration’s concerns and demands on immigration enforcement that White House and Cabinet officials expressed to their Mexican counterparts.
With a renewed sense of urgency following a two-day tour of the Rio Grande Valley region of the border, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Mike McCaul (R-TX) and three other Texas representatives said they will visit Mexico City to impress upon President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and others the need to deter and turn away illegal immigrants headed north.
Changing Policy to Stop the Flow of Illegal Immigration
“Tomorrow, we will be flying down to Mexico City to meet with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and to meet with the presidential candidates to talk about how we can change this policy and return to policy where we can stop the flow, where we can turn off the magnet and stop the pull factor that brings in so many here illegally,” McCaul said during remarks following the McAllen visit Saturday.
The lawmakers’ arrival in Mexico will come two days after Mexican officials traveled to Washington and met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, and White House Homeland Security Advisor Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall for the second time in a month about border control measures.
Addressing America’s Needs Ahead of Mexico’s Presidential Election
The representatives are motivated to lay out America’s needs clearly as Lopez Obrador and the other candidates establish and publicize their policy platforms ahead of Mexico’s presidential election in June.
“Eight million encounters,” McCaul said in reference to the number of immigrants intercepted at the border since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. “How in the world are we going to deal with this? Three hundred on the terror watch list.”
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), who represents the Laredo, Texas, border, said it was important to hear from federal law enforcement before heading further south and considering the impact of potential policy changes on border communities.
The group of lawmakers who visited the border also included Reps. Monica de la Cruz (R-TX) and Randy Weber (R-TX). Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) did not attend the border visit but will meet the group in Mexico. De la Cruz will not continue with the rest from Texas.
Positive Results from Mexico’s Enforcement Efforts
The White House praised Mexico for taking “swift action against migrants” in the days since Biden administration officials met with their counterparts in Mexico City on Dec. 27, 2023.
“Our trip to Mexico last month came at a critical moment to continue building on our cooperation and the significant efforts of our Mexican partners,” a White House National Security Council spokesperson wrote in an email. “We are already starting to see the results and DHS has reopened multiple ports of entry along the border recently, in large part, thanks to Mexico’s augmented enforcement efforts.
“Specifically, our Mexican partners have taken swift action against migrants bordering rail and buses, and last week took steps to initiate repatriation flights to Venezuela as part of our regional migration strategy under the Los Angeles Declaration,” the NSC official said.
Mexico’s very public takedowns of an immigrant caravan, border camp, and deterrence of immigrants riding atop northbound freight trains have made headlines since the bilateral talks, but some immigration analysts have suggested the actions were done specifically to garner attention while having the least impact on the crisis overall.
Lopez Obrador said the U.S. reached out for help days before Christmas. The Mexican president said what Biden described in a post on X as a U.S. request to reopen closed border crossings to trade and traffic was a private plea.
Following the latest bilateral meeting on Friday, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller was less detailed about any specific agreements that both nations reached this time around.
Working Towards a Legislative Solution
The congressional delegation is working simultaneously in Washington to move forward on a legislative solution to the border crisis.
Cuellar said Saturday that he supported House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in his call to address the situation. House Republicans put forth a comprehensive border security package in 2023, but the Senate has yet to take it up for consideration and has not agreed to include the entire plan in a supplemental funding bill for Ukraine and Israel.
“I’m with Mike, I hope we can address it,” Cuellar said. “We do know that the speaker said that they were going to turn down the Senate deal, which I hope he doesn’t. If there’s a crisis, I think we need to get together. And I think this group here can get together to address this issue. I hope we can do this supplemental. I think we need to as Democrats or Republicans.”
Weber and de la Cruz said they believed the Senate ought to take up H.R. 2, House Republicans’ border bill.
How can potential policy changes impact border communities and what steps are being taken to understand their impact?
Ation strategies,” the spokesperson added.
The U.S. lawmakers’ visit to Mexico City is a clear indication of the frustration and urgency felt by policymakers regarding immigration enforcement. The Biden administration, along with House Foreign Affairs Chairman Mike McCaul and other Texas representatives, is determined to address the issue and find solutions to deter illegal immigration.
During their visit to the Rio Grande Valley region of the border, the lawmakers witnessed firsthand the challenges and consequences of illegal immigration. As a result, they have decided to take their concerns directly to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and other Mexican officials. The aim is to emphasize the need for action in deterring and turning away illegal immigrants who are heading north.
This visit is timely, as Mexico approaches its presidential election in June. The representatives want to ensure that America’s needs and concerns regarding immigration are clearly communicated and taken into consideration as candidates establish their policy platforms.
The number of encounters at the border since President Biden took office is staggering. With eight million immigrants intercepted and 300 on the terror watch list, the question of how to effectively manage this situation arises. The lawmakers recognize the importance of hearing from federal law enforcement and understanding the impact of potential policy changes on border communities before making further decisions.
The group of lawmakers visiting the border includes representatives from both parties, including Reps. Monica de la Cruz and Randy Weber, along with Rep. Tony Gonzales, who did not attend the border visit but will join the group in Mexico. It is an opportunity for bipartisan collaboration and understanding of the complexities surrounding immigration.
The efforts made by Mexico in enforcing immigration have been acknowledged by the White House. Swift action taken against migrants and the initiation of repatriation flights to Venezuela demonstrate Mexico’s commitment to addressing the issue. These actions have contributed to the reopening of multiple ports of entry along the border.
The U.S. lawmakers’ visit to Mexico City signifies a significant step towards finding effective immigration enforcement solutions. By engaging in direct dialogue with Mexican officials, the aim is to foster cooperation and collaboration between the two nations. It is crucial to address immigration issues promptly to ensure the safety and well-being of both countries and their citizens.
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