Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen will make a three-day visit to the Mexican border this week amid President Trump’s threats to shut it down.
Nielsen will receive a briefing on Wednesday in El Paso, Texas, before traveling to Yuma, Ariz., on Thursday for meetings with federal, state and local law enforcement officials, the Department of Homeland Security announced. She will join Trump on Friday in Calexico, Calif., to visit a section of border wall.
{mosads}The Trump administration has been scrambling to respond to what it calls a crisis at the southern border caused by thousands of migrant families and unaccompanied minors entering the U.S. daily, many of whom are seeking asylum.
Trump threatened to shut down the border this week if Mexico did not do more to apprehend Central American migrants passing through, though he backed away from his threat amid warnings such a move could cripple the U.S. economy.
The president left open the possibility he could take drastic measures if Congress does not pass stricter immigration laws.
“If we don’t make a deal with Congress, the border’s going to be closed. 100 percent,” Trump said.
Nielsen cut short an overseas trip to visit the southern border, a sign administration officials are feeling pressure to address the situation.
She also reassigned 750 U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to patrol areas where large numbers of migrants are crossing and is exploring the possibility of increasing the number to 2,000.
Trump earlier this year declared a national emergency to obtain funds to build his long-promised border wall after Congress denied him money in a standoff that resulted in a 35-day partial government shutdown.