Steil: 'We Need To Fix Our Border, Solve Humanitarian Crisis'

EL PASO, TEXAS— Citing the need to address a humanitarian crisis at the U.S. border with Mexico, U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Janesville) traveled to Texas to see for himself.

Steil visited the United States-Mexico border on an official trip with Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Wednesday, Oct. 9.

“Seeing the border firsthand reinforced my belief that we need to fix gaps in border security. While progress has been made to decrease the influx in illegal immigration and illicit drug trafficking, we can do more. Upgrading technology, building physical barriers, and supporting law enforcement are important to address the crisis. I’m grateful to our men and women at CBP and ICE for their work. I will continue working in Congress to fix our broken immigration system,” said Steil in a statement released to Patch.

Related Reading

U.S. Immigration Crisis: What Wisconsin Is Saying

Wisconsin legislators often have decisions to make on potential immigration reforms. Here's what they're saying.

Steil's office said the congressman was at the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector and toured the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement El Paso Service Processing Center. Area-wise, he was outside El Paso, but on New Mexico/Texas border with Mexico.

Earlier this year, Steil told Patch that he supported a billion-dollar aid package for U.S. border states to address this humanitarian crisis.

"There is a humanitarian crisis at the southern border. Law enforcement and our judicial system are overwhelmed by the sheer number of migrants attempting to come into our country. That is why I supported bipartisan legislation to provide $4.6 billion in humanitarian aid for the border.