Democrats BOYCOTT border trip: Committee members say Republicans will ‘politicize’ migrant hearing

Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee have decided not to travel to the southern border for a migrant crisis hearing, accusing their Republican counterparts of planning to politicize the issue. 

Chairman Mark Green announced the field hearing last week, and said Democrats had pulled out even after inviting their own witness.

He said it showed they were not serious about tackling problems at the border.

It comes soon after a large group of people in Mexico marched on a border entry point in El Paso, Texas, on Sunday forcing authorities to build a barricade.

And it follows months of anger that President Joe Biden’s administration has failed to tackle soaring numbers of people trying to cross into the country

‘After careful consideration, committee Democrats have decided not to participate in the Republicans’ field hearing this week,’ said Rep. Bennie Thompson (left). Chairman Mark Green responded by saying Democrats were not serious about tackling the border problem

Hundreds of migrants stormed the Paso del Norte, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico with the intention of crossing into El Paso,

‘After careful consideration, committee Democrats have decided not to participate in the Republicans’ field hearing this week,’ said Rep. Bennie Thompson, who heads the 15 Democrats on the committee. 

‘Unfortunately, it has become clear that Republicans planned to politicize this event from the start, breaking with the committee’s proud history of bipartisanship. 

‘Instead of a fact-finding mission to develop better border security and immigration policies, Republicans are traveling to the border to attack the administration and try to score political points with their extreme rhetoric — despite having voted against the resources border personnel need. 

‘Committee Democrats are in regular contact with department leadership and stakeholders on the ground and will be taking substantive site visits to the border — including as soon as this week.’

It means Republicans will have the committee to themselves when they convene in the Rio Grande Valley to hear from the top U.S. Border Patrol official.

Chairman Mark Green said it was evidence that Democrats were not interested in examining the problems at the border. 

‘It’s deeply disappointing that the minority members of the committee have chosen to bail on this week’s full committee field hearing in Texas, only after they invited and confirmed a minority witness for one of the panels,’ he said. 

‘The only message their absence sends is that they are uninterested in coming to the table to have a conversation about the devastation that this border crisis is having on Americans and their communities across the country.’

The scene at the El Paso border crossing on Sunday afternoon

On Sunday, heavily-armed Mexican military and US Customs and Border Protection officers deployed to the El Paso border after an estimated 1,000 people tried to force their way through a checkpoint. 

Video shared by Fox News reporter Bill Melugin showed the ‘bilateral show of force’ on the border, which included armed security forces in riot gear, barbed wire, concrete blocks and mesh fence on the Paso Del Norte Bridge.

It was shared hours after different footage showed hordes of migrants charging past a line of Mexican officials at the border between Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas.

Photos captured the moment the group reached the center of the bridge, where they were then blocked by CBP officers, tear gas and barricades.

In response, CBP officers said they ‘implemented port hardening measures’ by temporarily stopping northbound traffic on the Paso Del Norte Bridge.