Congress Takes a Trip to the Border 

FROM THE BORDER — Last week, a group of Republican lawmakers took a trip to the southern border to get a firsthand look at the growing crisis. The Phoenix Arizona DEA division captured the trip on Twitter.

Thank you to @RepAndyBiggsAZ, @Rep_Hunter, @RepMattGaetz, @RepSeanDuffy, @RepDustyJohnson, @PeteStauber & @RepJohnJoyce for visiting #DEA in Arizona and learning about the drug threat facing the Southwest Border and our country. pic.twitter.com/HHc8hmHytg

— DEAPhoenix (@DEAPHOENIXDiv) April 17, 2019

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) also tweeted about his experience seeing carpet shoes and leftover belongings from smugglers with Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb. Carpet shoes are used to cover footprints of those crossing illegally in the desert.

Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) tweeted about fentanyl seized by Arizona authorities. The picture was captioned, “Enough fentanyl to kill 11 million people.”

Enough fentanyl to kill 11 million people. pic.twitter.com/wCf5cAUK22

— Rep. Dusty Johnson (@RepDustyJohnson) April 17, 2019

The trip comes on the heels of Yuma declaring a state of emergency as the humanitarian crisis has pushed border patrol authorities past their breaking point. City officials in Yuma have run out of housing for migrants and have had to pull border patrol agents from surrounding checkpoints to process large numbers of migrants claiming asylum.

President Donald Trump has publicly proposed to have illegal immigrants transported from detention facilities to sanctuary cities. Notable Democrats and even world-renowned singer Cher have flipped on their “welcome all illegal immigrants” rhetoric. Cher tweeted she would rather see her city (Los Angeles) take care of its own first.

I Understand Helping struggling Immigrants,but MY CITY (Los Angeles) ISNT TAKING CARE OF ITS OWN.WHAT ABOUT THE 50,000+??Citizens WHO LIVE ON THE STREETS.PPL WHO LIVE BELOW POVERTY LINE,& HUNGRY? If My State Can’t Take Care of Its Own(Many Are VETS)How Can it Take Care Of More

— Cher (@cher) April 14, 2019

The immigration battle continues to force Democrats to come to terms with the reality that there is a serious problem at the southern border. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) admitted there is a ‘serious problem’ along the U.S.-Mexico border. In a Fox News’ town hall last week Sanders said, ‘sensible immigration reform’ is needed to accommodate an overflow of migrants from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

Marissa Martinez is a political contributor for Accuracy in Media. She is the former political director to Massachusetts Governor’s re-election campaign, alumna of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and political consultant to national PACs. Follow her stories, @MarissaAlisa.