Harris, under GOP pressure to visit border, headed to El Paso on Friday

Vice President Kamala Harris is headed to El Paso, Texas on Friday with Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, making it her first trip to the border after growing pressure from Republicans, and some border Democrats, to view the migrant crisis firsthand.

Harris was tapped by President Joe Biden on March 24 to lead the administration’s efforts to tackle the root causes of migration from Central America and challenges at the US/Mexico border.

But even though Harris is headed to the border, she’ll be visiting El Paso, not the Rio Grande Valley, where a temporary U.S. Customs and Border Patrol facility in Donna is located and was overwhelmed for months earlier this year with the amount of unaccompanied minors arriving in record levels. Border crossings are also more prevalent in the RGV than El Paso.

PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Covid-19 vaccination mobilization event at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, June 18, 2021.

Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar, who represents El Paso, has been a friendlier lawmaker to the administration, compared to Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, who’s district represents part of the Rio Grande Valley, and has publicly and continuously urged both Biden and Harris to visit the border.

Her trip also comes ahead of a visit from former President Donald Trump to the southern border on June 30.

This is developing story. Please check back for updates.

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