House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy slammed Vice President Kamala Harris for failing to tackle what he called the "Biden border crisis," as she concluded her first foreign trip in office.
McCarthy, a Republican who represents California's 23rd congressional district, took to Twitter on Wednesday to highlight the number of people encountered crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in May.
Republicans have criticized Harris for not traveling to the southern border in person to see the situation for herself, but she defended the decision earlier this week and said she would visit the area at some point. The vice president traveled to Guatemala and Mexico this week as part of her efforts to address border crossings.
McCarthy tweeted: "180,034—the number of individuals encountered by Border Patrol in May. That smashes any monthly record in recent memory.
"Even if VP Kamala Harris went to Europe, it wouldn't change the fact that the Biden Border Crisis is out of control."
According to the Associated Press (AP), there were 180,034 encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border in May. That was a slight increase from April, when the figure was 178,854.
The number of encounters with unaccompanied minors crossing the border fell in May to 14,158. That figure stood at 17,148 in April and 18,951 in March. Nonetheless, May's figure was the third-highest on record.
180,034—the number of individuals encountered by Border Patrol in May. That smashes any monthly record in recent memory.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) June 10, 2021
Even if VP Kamala Harris went to Europe, it wouldn’t change the fact that the Biden Border Crisis is out of control.
Vice President Harris traveled to Guatemala on Monday and met the country's president, Alejandro Giammattei. At a press conference, Harris urged potential migrants not to make the journey to the U.S.
"I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come. Do not come," Harris said.
"The United States will continue to enforce our laws and secure our borders," she said.
"If you come to our border, you will be turned back," she added.
Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized Harris' remarks on Monday, calling the vice president's statement "disappointing to see," while Republicans have repeatedly called on Harris to visit the southern border.
Harris defended her decision not to travel to the border on Tuesday in an interview with NBC's Lester Holt. Speaking to Harris in Guatemala, Holt pressed her on visiting the border.
"At some point, you know, we are going to the border," Harris said. "We've been to the border. So this whole thing about the border. We've been to the border. We've been to the border."
"You haven't been to the border," Holt said.
"And I haven't been to Europe," Harris said. "And I mean, I don't understand the point that you're making. I'm not discounting the importance of the border."
Newsweek has asked the White House and Rep. Kevin McCarthy for comment.
