US Vice-President Kamala Harris to visit US southern border today

US Vice-President Kamala Harris will make her first trip to the US southern border since taking office, today.

Ms Harris will travel to El Paso with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, according to White House officials.

El Paso, Texas, has found reports of sexual abuse, COVID and lice outbreaks, hungry children being served undercooked meat and sandstorms engulfing the desert tent camps where the minors are being held.

She has faced questions about why she has not visited the boundary since the White House assigned her in March to address the root causes of migration.

The



visit was announced a week after former President Donald Trump said he would go to the border on 30 June.

The number of undocumented migrants reaching the US-Mexico border is at the highest level in more than 20 years.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the Vice-President was going because the administration had determined now is the appropriate time for her to go to the border and help get the situation under control.

Earlier this month, Ms Harris made her first trip abroad as Vice-President – travelling to Mexico and Guatemala for talks about the humanitarian crisis.