Velazquez Joins Pelosi on Official Visit to Central America

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) is traveling with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on a Congressional Delegation visit to Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and McAllen, Texas. Members of the delegation will hold high-level discussions with representatives from the government, the judiciary, civil society, community and faith-based groups, the private sector, and human rights organizations.

"We need to make clear to the people of Central America and residents of the Northern Triangle that the United States wishes to remain a partner for regional stability and addressing core issues driving migration, like violence and poverty," said Velázquez. "I'm thankful to Speaker Pelosi for her leadership on these issues and for the opportunity to accompany her on this important trip. I'm hopeful that the meetings we have here will help inform the policymaking process when we return to work in Congress."

After the Northern Triangle countries, the delegation will travel to McAllen, Texas to see firsthand the detention conditions for migrants from Central America. The Members of Congress will also meet with faith-based and community leaders, as well as with asylum-seeking families.

The Congressional Delegation also includes Representatives Eliot Engel (D-NY), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa), Anthony Brown (D-MD), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Jesús "Chuy" García (D-IL), Katie Hill (D-CA), Norma J. Torres (D-CA) and Lauren Underwood (D-IL).

Velázquez has previously visited the border to observe the conditions in which detainees are being held.

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