BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez spoke at a press conference held at the Border Patrol Station in Brownsville on Feb. 29, 2024.

Gonzalez joined President Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at the conference, having earlier received a briefing from Border Patrol officials at the border, as well as immigration, law enforcement and asylum officers. 

Gonzalez took the opportunity to push one of his top immigration proposals. 

“I continue to urge safe zones in places like Guatemala and Panama and possibly Colombia, where migrants can process their asylum claims thousands of miles from our southern border. It takes the pressure off our southern border and assures that cartels don't continue to enrich themselves by trafficking people to our southern border,” Gonzalez said.

However, Gonzalez said setting up safe zones in Central America cannot be done without bipartisan cooperation. He said a “small, rogue group” of Republicans in Congress were blocking important bipartisan border security legislation that could “really take the pressure off our southern border.”

Here is an audio recording of Congressman Gonzalez’s remarks at the press conference.

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