Credit: @RepBrianFitz
With an eye on solutions, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick and a bipartisan delegation from the Problem Solvers Caucus visited the U.S.-Mexico border earlier this week.
The visit included the members of Congress touring the border, ports of entry, and processing centers. The group traveled along the border on a heavily armed law enforcement boat.
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The trip included visiting the border in the Texas district of Problem Solvers Caucus member Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat.
In one social media post, Fitzpatrick, a Republican in his third term, posted a photo of a meeting with judges, mayors, sheriffs, prosecutors, and police chiefs.
Fitzpatrick’s office did not respond to three requests by this news organization for an interview.
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A statement posted by Fitzpatrick’s office called the trip a “fact-finding mission.”
Fitzpatrick said during a Monday press conference in Texas that the trip with fellow lawmakers was set up to identify and solve problems. He said the Problems Solvers Caucus will be “rolling up our selves and doing the work” of proposing fixes to problems, according to pooled media footage of the event.
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Fitzpatrick visited the border during President Donald Trump’s administration and this is his first visit under President Joe Biden’s administration.
Congressman Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, said the solution to the problems at the border have evaded many administrations.
“You have to solve this problem. You can’t just hope it gets better,” he said.
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Fitzpatrick said both sides need to come together to find solutions, adding there will have to be compromises.
While Fitzpatrick and the caucus struck a hopeful tone, comprehensive border reform has failed with both Democrats and Republicans in control in recent decades.
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In the past, Fitzpatrick has said he supports securing the border without building a coast-to-coast wall and comprehensive immigration reform. The congressman has also stated he supports a comprehensive assessment of the southern border that provides options for Congress.
During Trump’s term, Democrats in Congress bemoaned his administration’s handling of migrants crossing the border and massive spending for a much-criticized $21.6 billion border wall plan. With Biden in office, Republicans are criticizing the administration for how they are handling the southern border and for temporarily halting construction of new sections of wall to evaluate the best steps forward.
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