DHS chief Mayorkas to visit southern border as Biden admin under pressure on immigration

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will visit the southern border Friday with Sen. Rob Portman as the Biden administration is facing intense scrutiny over the worsening situation on the border. 

Portman, R-Ohio, told Fox News about the Friday visit during an interview along the border in El Paso, Texas. Details and timing were not immediately available. 

"I'm spending the day tomorrow with Secretary Mayorkas. He'll be here," Portman said when asked if he would have the chance to share what he saw on his visit to the border with the Biden administration.

"We'll be looking at some of the issues including this huge problem with unaccompanied kids coming across the border," he continued. "Those numbers have increased even more dramatically to the point that right now we have a true crisis in the detention facilities ... We're gonna talk about that tomorrow and we'll see some of those facilities. And we'll have a chance to talk about what I saw tonight."

The Department of Homeland Security later put out a statement announcing Mayorkas' visit. It noted that he will travel with a "bipartisan" group of senators. It also said press would not be allowed because of coronavirus precautions.

Republicans have blamed a recent surge in migrants aiming to cross the southern border on policies and rhetoric from President Biden perceived as more friendly to migrants aiming to come into the United States illegally or through the asylum system. 

Biden and his administration, citing the current situation on the border, have told migrants that now is not the time to come to the United States. But one migrant who was interviewed by Fox News said the surge is likely to continue. 

"They're not," he said when asked if migrants are listening to Biden's message not to come to the United States, at least for now. 

"Look, if you guys lived in our country, you guys would know that it's really tough," the migrant said, citing violence and killing in his hometown.