Sen. Bob Casey Joins Senate Delegation Visiting Border Facilities

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Democratic U.S. Senate leader Chuck Schumer led a delegation of U.S. Senators, all Democrats, including Pennsylvania's Bob Casey to the Mexican border in McAllen, Texas, on Friday.

"We just arrived in Texas," Schumer said upon arrival. "We're going to inspect a whole bunch of border facilities. We want to see what's going on, and we know the fact that we come down here makes everyone understand that there's eyes upon them, eyes that want to see children and families treated in a decent way."

Video of Casey shows him with a woman with a young son, and even holding the child briefly before returning him to his mother.

"These people have been through hell just to get here," noted Casey.

"We've got to make sure through our dollars and our work that every possible effort is made to make sure that those children can be screened and taken care of, provided quality health care by people who know about pediatrics and quality health care for children."

Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general found dangerous overcrowding and prolonged detention of children and adults at these border facilities.

Casey praised Catholic Charities for their work at the border, but said for his part, "I will keep the pressing the administration on this, keep pressing Border Control and Homeland Security because it's essential that these children get the quality health care they deserve."

Following the visit, Schumer said those they saw could have been the immigrants of an earlier time.

"They could have been Irish or German or Italian or Jewish or anybody else," said Schumer. "And each time these wave of immigrants came there were certain Americans who decided to divide and be nasty, but America overcame that and united, and all of these generations became really fine Americans who we are proud of."