Walden visits U.S.-Mexico border for update

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., said Monday he visited locations along the U.S.-Mexico border over the weekend, including a temporary shelter, to get an update on the situation.

Walden traveled to Carrizo Springs, Texas and Yuma, Arizona to tour key border sites including facilities operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and an Office of Refugee Resettlement temporary influx shelter. Walden also received a tour of the U.S.-Mexican border near Yuma.

Walden said he traveled to the border to learn and to get answers. As Oregon’s Second District representative, he hears from constituents constantly about the border. This was a common concern shared at the 35 town halls Walden has held this year.

Walden said his trip to the border was a fact-finding mission with a clear objective: Get answers so Congress can work toward a solution.

“I wanted to see for myself, once again, the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the border,” Walden said in a statement. “Like other Oregonians, I care deeply about the security of our country and the welfare of the people in our care at the border. This issue came up at nearly every one of the 13 town halls I held earlier this month.”

“It shouldn’t have taken months for Congress to approve President Trump’s emergency request for humanitarian aid, but I’m glad it passed with overwhelming, bipartisan support,” he said.

“Last year, I led a bipartisan delegation to the border to observe conditions and challenges. I am back to see with my own eyes what is occurring, see what has changed since last year, and see what work remains for us to do in Congress to further address this crisis,” the congressman said.

“I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to fix our broken immigration system and secure our borders so that we can properly process and care for the unprecedented numbers of people coming into the United States,” he added.