Senator Martin Heinrich discussed the Central American migrant crisis along the U.S./Mexico border Wednesday on the Senate floor in Washington, D.C.
"We have a human crisis at our southern border that requires immediate but compassionate response," the New Mexico Democrat said. He called on his Republican colleagues in the Senate to work with President Obama to deal with the crisis and demand that House Republicans bring the Senate’s immigration bill to the House floor for debate.
Heinrich also called for lawmakers to approve increased funding for the nation’s clogged immigration system.
"Passing the $3.7 billion supplemental," he explained, "sends a clear signal that we are aggressively stemming the flow of children and families from Central America while continuing to treat these refugee children humanely and as required under law."
KUNM aired clips from Heinrich's comments which aired on C-SPAN-2 and on C-SPAN's live stream from the Senate floor.
Congressman Discusses Trip To Central America - The Associated Press
Congressman Steve Pearce says more than 200 Central American immigrants being held at a federal detention facility in southern New Mexico have been processed by immigration officials and are awaiting approval from their home countries to be returned.
The Republican says that approval has yet to come despite assurances by Guatemalan officials.
Pearce and members of a working group established by House Speaker John Boehner traveled to Guatemala and Honduras over the weekend to talk with both countries about the crisis that has engulfed the U.S. border.
Pearce told reporters Wednesday that both countries said they wanted their children returned.
And while no one in either country downplayed the violence there, he said residents the delegation spoke with were more concerned about their economic situations.
