WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Kay Granger (TX-12), Chairwoman of the House Working Group to address the humanitarian crisis at the southern border, issued the following statement regarding the White House emergency funding request for the southern border.

“I, along with the members of the Appropriations Committee and working group, look forward to reviewing the White House supplemental request to address the humanitarian and national security crisis at the southern border. After two visits to the Texas-Mexico border and detention facilities around Texas last week, I saw firsthand how dire the situation is for the thousands of unaccompanied minors who are making the dangerous journey from Central American to the U.S. border. The huge increase of unaccompanied children crossing the border has created an enormous strain on the Border Patrol as well as the Texas Department of Public Safety and its vital to their missions that they are provided with the resources they need to protect the southern border.
 
“The Speaker's working group will meet again tomorrow to discuss the humanitarian, security, and immigration issues surrounding the situation at the southern border, as well as the policy steps we believe Congress and the Administration should take provide solutions to this immediate crisis."

Over the last week, Granger has visited a bus station in Laredo, TX that is providing shelter and aid for dozens of family units every day while they await transportation to take them to locations across the country to appear before an immigration court; the Customs and Border Patrol facility in McAllen, TX where hundreds of unaccompanied minors and family units are apprehended while they await to be processed through the system; and Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX that is serving as a temporary shelter and processing center for thousands of unaccompanied minors.

Granger also participated in Chairman Michael McCaul’s Homeland Security Committee field hearing that was held in McAllen, TX last week. On Monday, Granger toured and met with officials at Catholic Charities Fort Worth who have provided shelter and aid for approximately 200 unaccompanied children to date.

The Working Group will provide the first update to the House GOP Conference on July 15, 2014.