House leaders and other lawmakers will join a virtual White House event with top officials to discuss the situation on the southern border, according to multiple sources.
Leadership is scheduled to join the meeting with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, a senior Democratic aide told the Washington Examiner. Bipartisan lawmakers were invited to the virtual briefing, which is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
BORDER PATROL HAS RELEASED 30,000 DIRECTLY INTO US SINCE JANUARY
Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, who has shared photographs of overcrowded detention facilities with the media, will also join the call.
Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming sent the invitation to members of the Republican caucus.
Aides to several GOP lawmakers said the event conflicts with constituent meetings in their districts.
The briefing has already been rescheduled once by the White House and comes at an unusual time since most lawmakers are at home in their districts, a senior GOP aide said.
The White House declined to confirm the call.
The Biden administration is facing scrutiny over its handling of the southern border amid a record number of arrivals, overwhelming temporary housing facilities for migrants.
Officials ceased immediately deporting unaccompanied minors and some families, increasing the number of people who are being held in federal custody.
According to federal data obtained by the Washington Examiner, as of Sunday, 5,767 unaccompanied minors had been detained inside Border Patrol facilities along the border.
Cuellar has urged the White House to find a long-term solution to stemming the flow of arrivals at the border. He has also called for increased transparency.
White House officials have largely declined media access to facilities but last week permitted one broadcast camera to visit an HHS facility.
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Vice President Kamala Harris is not expected to join the call, according to a report.
