Hakeem Jeffries to visit southern border, one day after McCarthy
Juliegrace Brufke
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) will visit the southern border alongside Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) in Laredo, Texas, on Friday.
The New York Democrat and Cuellar, who represents Laredo, are slated to hold a press availability following a “listening session with local leaders about the challenges and opportunities facing border communities,” with the lawmakers planning to tour the area and discuss “homeland security and border operations” with experts.
The visit comes one day after Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) appeared at the border alongside freshman Reps. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), and Derrick Van Orden (R-WI).
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The dueling trips come as GOP lawmakers have been highly critical of the Biden administration’s handling of border policy, with Republicans arguing that Democrats’ positions on the matter have led to an uptick in immigrants illegally crossing into the country.
The White House had slammed McCarthy’s visit to Texas as merely a publicity stunt.
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“House Republicans should spend less time on partisan publicity stunts and more time working on solutions,” White House spokesman Ian Sams said in a statement. “Solutions are what President Biden is focused on, and his plan is working. House Republicans would be wise to join him to work together to strengthen our immigration system and fund border security.”
President Joe Biden visited the border for the first time in his presidency in January, with the commander in chief touring the Bridge of the Americas port of entry.