(NewsNation) — Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. headed to the border Tuesday for an up-close look at the effort to stop illegal crossings.
Kennedy is making the trip as he works to gather enough support to be listed on the ballot in Arizona. He heard from local leaders about the crisis on the ground during his second visit to the southern border.
NewsNation’s Ali Bradley attended a roundtable where Kennedy was learning about critical issues Border Patrol is facing, including load vehicles used to move undocumented immigrants further in to the interior. The candidate was reportedly surprised to hear that 10 people could fit in a Ford Focus.
In Cochise County, Arizona, agents are dealing with between two and 10 pursuits every single day and Kennedy was also shocked to learn some of the drivers were as young as 12 years old.
Kennedy said he wanted to hear from local leaders to learn how the border could be shut down as quickly as possible to get a handle on the situation.
Kennedy is also scheduled to meet with leaders at a border command center, as well as touring walls and other structures being used along the border.
While Kennedy tours the border, President Joe Biden is urging Congress to pass a Senate bill that is a bipartisan compromise on border issues and foreign aid. The bill includes provisions to speed up asylum claim processing in an effort to reduce the immigration backlog, gives the president authority to shut down the border and limits humanitarian parole for those seeking asylum.
House Republicans have called the compromise dead on arrival and former President Donald Trump recently urged Republicans to vote against the compromise and hold out for a perfect bill.