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House Republicans vow to ‘carry on Trump legacy’ as they prepare to join ex-president on border visit

House Republicans vow to ‘carry on Trump legacy’ as they prepare to join ex-president on border visit

House Republicans have vowed to carry on the “Trump legacy on immigration” as they prepare to join former President Donald Trump on an upcoming visit to the US-Mexico border in Texas.

Around a dozen members of the Republican Study Committee, the biggest caucus of the House GOP, are expected to join Mr Trump on his border visit next Wednesday, as Politico first reported.

Confirming the plans, Rep Jim Banks, chair of the RSC, said the caucus is committed to “carrying on the Trump legacy on immigration”.

“President Trump spent four years fixing the border. But the Biden administration broke it again, and we are now experiencing the worst border crisis in our history,” Mr Banks said, referring to the recent influx in arrivals of migrants and asylum seekers at the US border.

“That’s why the RSC has made carrying on the Trump legacy on immigration our top priority this Congress and why we are heading to the border with President Trump to explain how we can end this national embarrassment,” the Indiana Republican said.

A spokesperson for the RSC said they could confirm the plans for members to join Mr Trump’s border trip, but could not provide any further details.

The border meeting will be the second gathering this month between Mr Trump and members of the RSC, according to Politico, with leaders of the caucus recently meeting with Mr Trump at his Bedminster resort in New Jersey.

Plans for the Republican lawmakers to join Mr Trump’s border wall visit come amid reports that Vice President Kamala Harris will be visiting the US-Mexico border next week for her first time as VP.

Ms Harris has faced growing criticism from Republicans over the fact that she has not yet visited the border as part of her mandate to respond to the rise in arrivals at the US-Mexico border.

However, Politico has reported that Ms Harris will be making the trip to the border in El Paso, Texas on Friday, days ahead of Mr Trump’s Texas visit.

She is also expected to be joined by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who recently defended Ms Harris against criticism over the fact that she had not yet visited the border and branded questions on the matter from GOP Rep Ralph Norman “unfair” and “disrespectful”.

Ms Harris’s visit to the border comes following a trip to Guatemala and Mexico, where the vice president met with the countries’ respective leaders and vowed to work on a multi-pronged effort to address root causes of irregular migration to the US border.

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