House Republicans Visit Southern Border Amid Record Surge in Crossings

Over 60 House Republicans visited the southern border at Eagle Pass, Texas, on Wednesday as lawmakers and the Biden administration continue to negotiate border security funding and policy.

Key Quote: Speaking at a press conference in Eagle Pass, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said, “Under President Biden, America has laid out a welcome mat to illegal immigrants, smugglers and cartels. He is responsible for the grave threat to our national security and our nation's sovereignty that these policies have created.”

Details: U.S. Customs and Border Protection is reporting a record-high number of encounters with migrants attempting to cross the border without authorization. Nearly 50 Texas counties along the border have declared an “invasion,” urging federal action. Numerous Republican lawmakers have specifically blamed the migrant surge on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, whom they accuse of failing to enforce border laws. Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) called Mayorkas the “greatest domestic threat to the national security and the safety of the American people.” Republican lawmakers announced the start of an effort to impeach Mayorkas, with the first hearing scheduled for Jan. 10.

How the Media Covered It: Coverage from NBC News (Lean Left bias) noted a threat from some Republican lawmakers warning that they would work to shut down the federal government next month if a deal on the border is not reached. The Daily Wire (Lean Right bias) framed coverage around a recent announcement from the Biden Administration that four ports of entry along the southern border would be reopened.