WASHINGTON – As historic numbers at the U.S.-Mexico border continue to rise, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) will join a delegation of her Senate Republican colleagues led by John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on a trip today (Thursday) and Friday to the Rio Grande Valley to survey the current state of the Southern border. The senators will be briefed by the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS), Texas National Guard, local law enforcement, landowners, and others.

In a statement issued Thursday morning, Ernst said “Month after month we continue to see complete chaos at the Southern border under this administration. With our Border Patrol agents more overwhelmed than ever, we need serious action to restore law and order at the border. I’m looking forward to meeting with the men and women on the frontlines of this crisis and bringing back potential solutions to my colleagues in the Senate.”

During the trip, the delegation will:

Participate in a night border tour with law enforcement.
Partake in a CBP aerial border tour.
Meet with local landowners to discuss the impact of the open border on Texas communities.
Receive briefings from the NBPC and CBP about the challenges these agencies face.
Receive a briefing from the Texas National Guard and Texas Department of Public Safety about state efforts to secure the border, known as Operation Lone Star.
Hold a press conference to discuss the state of the U.S.-Mexico border.