Blumenthal To Visit Mexican Border For Firsthand Look At Immigration Crisis

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) announced that he will visit the Mexican border this evening and Friday to get a firsthand look at the immigration crisis, and meet with local authorities, volunteers, and children, as well as federal officials from agencies concerned with unaccompanied minors. During the trip, Blumenthal will tour a local border patrol station in the town of McAllen, TX, and receive a full situational briefing at Lackland Air Force Base where some immigrants are being held. Blumenthal will travel with Senate and House colleagues on both sides of the aisle, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske.

“I have met with children and families in Connecticut who are among the tens of thousands of immigrants who’ve made the difficult and dangerous journey to the United States from places where they face violence and oppression, and their moving stories have deeply affected my approach to the immigration crisis. The next logical step in truly understanding the complexities of this crisis is to see it firsthand. I look forward to traveling to the border with my colleagues, and working with them on legislative reforms to address this issue.”

Blumenthal is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security. He is also the co-chair of the Senate Caucus To End Human Trafficking.