Secretary of Homeland Security to Visit Texas

The head of Homeland Security and senior officials from the White House and federal agencies will travel to Texas on Friday to tour U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities and Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

In a statement Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security said Secretary Jeh Johnson and the other officials would visit those sites to "view the ongoing government-wide response to the influx of unaccompanied children across the Southwest border."

The statement says officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Health and Human Services will be part of the group.

Thousands of unaccompanied minors from Central America have been entering the United States in recent months. It's estimated that more than 47,000 have entered so far this budget year.

The announcement of Friday's visit came a day after the state's top Republican leaders said they have authorized the Texas Department of Public Safety to spend an additional $1.3 million per week along border with Mexico.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us