- The Washington Times - Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will visit the southern border Thursday to get an up-close look at the surge that’s overwhelmed his department.

In a statement announcing the trip, the department said he will meet with nongovernmental organizations and “stakeholders” who are working with Homeland Security to try to accommodate the surge.

He will also talk with sheriffs who say they’re swamped with border-related violence, and will also meet with “frontline” employees of Homeland Security.

The press will not have access to Mr. Mayorkas during the trip, the department announced.

The visit comes as the department is setting records for unaccompanied juveniles jumping the border, and also seeing a surge of families gaming the system. But officials have made some progress in getting children out of Border Patrol custody and into the hands of shelters run by the Health and Human Services Department.

• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.

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