Kamala Harris has gone 93 days without visit to border since being tapped for crisis role
Harris has faced criticism for appearing to avoid the Rio Grande Valley
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Vice President Kamala Harris has gone 93 days since being tapped by President Joe Biden to be his point person on the migrant surge at the border and will be visiting El Paso on Friday.
Her critics say the only reason she's visiting Texas is because of the new pressure she faces after former President Trump announced that he will visit the border. These critics also say that the El Paso sector does not accurately show the crisis in other places along the border, like in the Rio Grande Valley.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harris will be joined by Alejandro Mayorkas, the head of the Department of Homeland Security; Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; and Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas. She will tour the El Paso Central Processing Center and then hold conversations with advocates from "faith-based NGOs," and various legal service providers, her office said.
Fernando Garcia, the executive director at the Border Network for Human Rights, told the El Paso Times that it is "about time" that she visits.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This has been expected by border residents for a while, not only her physical presence, but the attention of this administration; the issues that we have at the border and more directly, the attention of President Biden," Garcia said. "We hope that this (visit) is not a show or a political move. We hope she comes to listen."