COCHISE COUNTY, Ariz. (KGUN) — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and southern Arizona Rep. Juan Ciscomani, along with a Congressional delegation that included representatives from Oregon, Wisconsin and Virginia, visited the Arizona-Mexico border in Cochise County Thursday, Feb. 16.
This marks McCarthy's first trip to the country's southern border since assuming the role of Speaker of the House in January. McCarthy spoke about security along the border, and about his plan to for a solutions-focused Congress.
Both McCarthy and Ciscomani told the press at a briefing late in the visit that much of the concern surrounds security and cartel-backed drugs crossing the border.
"Republicans have been taking action. We've got a lot of ideas inside Congress," McCarthy told the press. "It's different than the Congress before. We're just not gonna write the bill and put it on the floor, we're gonna listen to the people that are on the border. We're gonna listen to border agents. We want the very best ideas."
RELATED: Rep. Juan Ciscomani on Speaker McCarthy's upcoming border visit
The delegation's tour began in Tucson, where the group met with Customs and Border Protection officials, before heading south to meet with Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels and Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa and other local stakeholders.
McCarthy says some of the unique challenges he's seen at the Arizona border make it different than what's going on in other border states. According to McCarthy, a heavy cartel presence sets the Arizona - Mexico border apart:
"It's controlled by the cartel," said McCarthy. "When the agents come up to find them [people crossing the border in Cochise County], they don't just find the agents like they do in Texas, and say 'let me in.' They run from them—they don't want to be caught. These are not families coming across here."
Ciscomani echoed the sentiment, saying the fentanyl that crosses the Arizona-Mexico border is more than a local concern.
"I've been saying for some time now, that this is not just a border state issue anymore," Ciscomani said. Every state in the country has become a border state with this fentanyl crisis because it's impacting our communities in different ways. And when we sat around this table there were republicans and there were democrats alike and we all agree on the issue that this is causing and on the solutions that we need to find. "
The White House, too, says it wants solutions at the border—and says those solutions already in place are effective.
"House Republicans should spend less time on partisan publicity stunts, and more time working on solutions," White House spokesperson Ian Sams said in a statement. "Solutions are what President Biden is focused on, and his plan is working."
Rancher John Ladd said his message to the Speaker is that he wants to see enough law enforcement at the border to protect the wall that's in place. McCarthy said Ladd shared with him stories about holes cut in the adjacent fence, and human bodies—the result of assumed human trafficking—found on his property.
The same day McCarthy's delegation visited Cochise County, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-7) also made a border visit to the county to talk solutions with Douglas Mayor Donald Huish.
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Pat Parris is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. He is a graduate of Sabino High School where he was the 1982 high school state track champion in the 800 meters. While in high school and college, he worked part-time in the KGUN 9 newsroom. Share your story ideas and important issues with Pat by emailing pat.parris@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.