• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Exclusive

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump Fortune Editor-in-Chief: Alyson Shontell sat down with President Trump in the Oval Office for an hour. Tariffs, Intel, AI, Boeing, Iran—and the question every CEO eventually has to answer: who's next?

PoliticsU.S. Politics

Congress Members Look for Solutions After Touring Border Detention Facilities

By
Soni Sangha
Soni Sangha
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Soni Sangha
Soni Sangha
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 23, 2019, 1:12 PM ET

About two dozen Congress members toured border detention facilities in McAllen, Texas, on Friday, further shining a spotlight on the embattled Customs and Border Protection agency.

A group of Democratic senators that included Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Bob Menenedez (D-N.J.) made up one contingent. The other was a bi-partisan group of moderate-leaning representatives called the Problem Solvers Caucus. Both groups left the sites indicating they could legislatively resolve issues that have led to overcrowding and unsanitary conditions in the facilities, without indicating when their proposals would be developed.

“I’ve seen some modest improvements since my last visit,” said Representative Dean Phillips (D-Ill.). “But at the end of the day, no one can rest until we know that the kids are being treated in a more humane way.”

Conditions at CBP centers along the southern border have wreaked havoc in Washington, D.C.. Over the past month, the agency was slammed because of a scathing watchdog report and articles of a secret Facebook group on which border agents made sexist and racist comments.

That havoc bled into Congress, where $4.6 billion in emergency funding meant to relieve pressures on detention centers and provide aid to child detainees was passed with few restrictions, stoking fiery public divisions among progressive Democrats and moderates, including the Problem Solvers Caucus. 

All the while, officials continued visiting the border centers, further drawing attention to overcrowded, unsanitary, and chaotic facilities for adults and children, that some senators called shameful.

“They tried to make things look better the day before [we came]. Four hundred people were taken out of one facility yesterday,” said Schumer at a press conference after the Friday visit, in which he blamed the conditions on the President’s policies. “But even with that, it’s awful the conditions these people were placed in.”

The latest policy moves focus on asylum, whose claimant numbers are increasing. The latest report, from 2017, indicates that the number of applicants has more than doubled since 2014. Venezuelans make up the greatest number of asylees with claims considered valid by asylum officers, with Central American migrants also increasing.

Schumer indicated support for a plan that would allow immigrants to apply for asylum from their home country, which he thinks will alleviate the crowding issue at the border. Currently, Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are creating a proposal reflecting that.

“We have a solution that can work. It’s a horrible trek here. Let them apply for asylum in their home countries. Things can be fairer and easier,” Schumer said in a press conference following his visit. 

Meanwhile, the House representatives steered clear of details, promising to begin discussions in September after the Congressional recess. They pinpointed similar issues that the CBP is struggling with, including the Flores settlement, which requires immigrants who are minors to be kept in humane conditions and released from CBP within 72 hours (which has been reportedly violated for some detainees); asylum; and depleting resources.

The Trump administration has released its own fix.

Just one week before these Congressional visits, the Trump administration issued a new interim asylum rule that would decrease the number of Central and South American immigrants by requiring asylum seekers to apply for asylum in a country that they travel through before reaching the U.S. border.

The restriction is not the first proposed by the administration. An earlier attempt that would have denied asylum to anyone crossing the border outside of a legal port of entry was blocked in federal court. This recent effort has been legally challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union, Southern Poverty Law Center, and the Center for Constitutional Rights.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

—What to expect from the second Democratic debate

—When it comes to politics, Americans are divided. Can data change that?

—Elizabeth Warren declares war on private equity ‘vampires’ in 2020 plan

—Trump outspent every other political campaign on Facebook. Here’s who those ads targeted

—Sex toys allowed, not massages, in fine print of Trump tax break

Get up to speed on your morning commute with Fortune’s CEO Daily newsletter.

About the Author
By Soni Sangha
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

Donald Trump smiles
LawDonald Trump
Trump creates $1.7 billion ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ to compensate allies as part of his IRS lawsuit settlement
By Fatima Hussein, Eric Tucker, Alanna Durkin Richer and The Associated PressMay 18, 2026
8 hours ago
hochul
Economyremote work
New York governor pleads for remote work during massive rail strike: ‘regular commuters who can work from home … please do so’
By Philip Marcelo, Michael R. Sisak and The Associated PressMay 18, 2026
12 hours ago
Donald J. Trump
PoliticsDonald Trump
EXCLUSIVE: An hour in the Oval Office with the CEO-in-Chief, President Trump
By Alyson ShontellMay 18, 2026
19 hours ago
 Sen. Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict Trump in Jan. 6 impeachment, loses primary as president retains grip on GOP — ‘that’s what you get’
PoliticsRepublican Party
 Sen. Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict Trump in Jan. 6 impeachment, loses primary as president retains grip on GOP — ‘that’s what you get’
By Thomas Beaumont, Jack Brook, Stephen Smith and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
1 day ago
epstein on the right, deutsche bank logo, dollar bill butterflies, and christian sewing on the left in a collage
BankingJeffrey Epstein
‘The Butterfly Trust’: How Deutsche Bank maintained Jeffrey Epstein as a client until he was arrested
By Lily Mae LazarusMay 17, 2026
2 days ago
U.S. allows Russia oil sales waiver to expire despite tight market
EnergyOil
U.S. allows Russia oil sales waiver to expire despite tight market
By Jennifer A. Dlouhy and BloombergMay 16, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
6 days ago
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
3 days ago
The top foreign holders of U.S. debt may soon dump Treasury bonds and bring their money back home, potentially spiking borrowing costs
Economy
The top foreign holders of U.S. debt may soon dump Treasury bonds and bring their money back home, potentially spiking borrowing costs
By Jason MaMay 17, 2026
1 day ago
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the 'deepest moat that exists today' as investors vow to 'never bet against Elon'
Innovation
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the 'deepest moat that exists today' as investors vow to 'never bet against Elon'
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
2 days ago
Mamdani's New York is coming to tax your private jet. Here's how to prepare
Personal Finance
Mamdani's New York is coming to tax your private jet. Here's how to prepare
By Greg RaiffMay 16, 2026
3 days ago
While Trump insisted the Iran war would end ‘soon,’ an account in his name was buying millions in oil, defense and gold
Economy
While Trump insisted the Iran war would end ‘soon,’ an account in his name was buying millions in oil, defense and gold
By Eva RoytburgMay 18, 2026
7 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.