Lawmakers moved by tour of child immigrant holding sites

Nine members of Congress from Connecticut to Alaska converged on South Texas on Friday to see for themselves the federal facilities where unaccompanied Central American immigrant children are being held.

Participants described their two-city tour as moving and enlightening.

Led by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske, the three senators and six House members were briefed at McAllen's Border Patrol Station before visiting the newly opened processing center for children. The bipartisan group then went to a temporary facility for children at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

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The delegation included Democratic Sens. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, both of whom serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on immigration, refugees and border security.

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