Speaker McCarthy leads congressional delegation to border
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) arrives to speak with reporters following a meeting with President Biden at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, February 1, 2023.
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(NewsNation) — Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., led a congressional delegation to the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday.
“We are here to gather information,” McCarthy said, marking his fourth trip to the border in a span of two years and his first visit since winning the gavel last month.
Joining McCarthy on the tour of Arizona’s Tuscon sector were Republican Reps. Juan Ciscomani, Ariz., Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Ore., Jen Kiggans, Va., and Derrick Van Orden, Wis. The congressional delegation received a briefing and and aerial tour from Us. Customs and Border Patrol ahead of Thursday’s address.
“The sad part of what’s happening here is the country of Mexico does not know who is leaving their country,” McCarthy said. “America, we do not know who is coming into our country. But there is one entity who knows who is leaving Mexico and who is coming into America, the Sinaloa cartel. Because nobody comes across this border without paying.”
McCarthy has made the nation’s border a key tenet of his campaign during the 2022 election cycle. The newly selected speaker has not only called for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, but also suggested impeachment.
Last month, Texas Republican Rep. Pat Fallon filed articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, accusing him of failing to secure the southern border and compounding “already-low morale” among border agents.
Officials from non-border states, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams, have also sounded the alarm.
New York, along with other cities like Chicago, are building shelters to handle the increase of people needing assistance.
Adams said last month, however, the city can’t handle the influx of migrants in need of care.