By Dan Nowicki | The Arizona Republic
NOGALES – During a tour of the Arizona-Mexico border Wednesday, four members of the bipartisan group working on a comprehensive immigration bill watched as a woman “successfully climb(ed) an 18-ft bollard fence a few yards from us,” said Sen. John McCain.
McCain, R-Ariz., one of the members of the so-called Gang of Eight who was on the tour, said in a Twitter message that the Border Patrol apprehended the woman but called the episode “another reminder that threats to our border security are real.”
McCain was joined on the tour by Democrats Charles Schumer of New York and Michael Bennet of Colorado and Republican Jeff Flake of Arizona. They make up half of the bipartisan group that has been negotiating new comprehensive immigration reform legislation. The senators hope to introduce a bill in the next few weeks but have been struggling to come to terms on central issues such as the future flow of foreign workers into the country and border-security triggers.
“There has been improvement made, and we are very grateful for the men and women who are doing this very difficult work and we’re proud that we have them defending us,” McCain said. “… I am very glad my colleagues came.”
If you’d like to discuss immigration matters, Brian Bergin, bbergin@roselawgroup.com
