On Wednesday, the White House slammed House Republicans' upcoming trip to the U.S.-Mexico border, characterizing the move as a "partisan publicity" stunt.
The Biden administration also questioned whether Republicans are genuinely serious about curbing the overflow at the southern border.
"House Republicans should spend less time on partisan publicity stunts and more time working on solutions," White House spokesman Ian Sams said in a statement. "Solutions are what President [Joe] Biden is focused on ... House Republicans would be wise to join him to work together to strengthen our immigration system and fund border security."
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., will lead a Thursday delegation of first-year congressional members to the southern border. The other Republican lawmakers scheduled to participate are Reps. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon, Jen Kiggans of Virginia, and Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin.
The McCarthy-led delegation will visit the Tucson, Arizona, sector and get a briefing from Border Patrol officials.
The lawmakers will then reportedly take an aerial tour of the border region, courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
During Biden's time in the White House, covering 24-plus months, nearly 6 million immigrants have entered the U.S. illegally or were otherwise inadmissable, according to an analysis by Federation for American Immigration Reform.
The numbers for human and drug trafficking also have gone up considerably during this period. Plus, fentanyl quickly has become the leading cause of death among Americans ages 18-45.
But Sams said the president's new regulations are making a difference at the border. CBP data shows a 97% drop in illegal immigration with migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
On Wednesday, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., told Newsmax the problems at the southern border won't change anytime soon, until the Biden administration acknowledges its flawed policies.
"The Biden administration does not want to admit that this is happening," said Blackburn, while appearing on "American Agenda" with hosts Bob Sellers and Katrina Szish.
"Indeed, we have a Homeland Security secretary [Alejandro Mayorkas] who is not for homeland security. Go imagine that. His border policy is a wide-open border — and there's nothing compassionate, there is nothing humane, about the way they are treating this border."
Last month, Blackburn and Republican Sens. Katie Britt of Alabama and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi visited the Del Rio Sector in Texas.
According to reports, the Senate trio witnessed 20-plus illegal immigrants, including a pregnant woman and small children, attempt to cross the "dangerous" Rio Grande River, as a means of entering through an illegal entry port in Texas.
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