House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi's trip comes as the debate over immigration — and the president's latest efforts targeting undocumented immigrants — rages in the Capitol. | Alex Wong/Getty Images Pelosi to visit U.S.-Mexico border next week

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will visit the U.S.-Mexico border early next week to see firsthand the impact of the administration’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.

The California Democrat will accompany about 15 other Democrats on the trip Monday to San Diego, which is being organized by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, according to multiple House sources.


The trip comes as the debate over immigration — and President Donald Trump’s latest efforts targeting undocumented immigrants — rages in the Capitol.

The group will visit at least one facility housing migrant children who have been separated from their families — the effect of a controversial “zero tolerance” prosecution policy blasted by Democrats and human rights advocates. Under the strategy, Trump’s Department of Homeland Security aims to prosecute all suspected border-crossers, including adults traveling with children.

Democrats also plan to meet with border agents to discuss the impact of changes to asylum policies announced earlier this week. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Monday released a 31-page decision that blocks access to asylum in the U.S. for most victims of domestic violence and gang violence.

“The Trump Administration’s inhumanity and heartlessness know no bounds,” Pelosi said in reaction to the asylum announcement Monday. “Republicans in the White House have just condemned countless vulnerable, innocent women to a lifetime of violence and even death, just to score political points with their base.”

Meanwhile, House Republican leaders are feverishly working to stymie a push by centrist Republicans to force a vote on legislation shielding Dreamers from deportation. Moderates are just three signatures away from forcing floor action via a discharge petition, with some members setting Tuesday as their self-imposed deadline to gather the support.

But House Republican leaders have been personally making calls to discourage members who were leaning toward signing the petition in recent days.

At least one such effort appears to have worked — Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.) told POLITICO he’s unlikely to sign after GOP leaders promised him a vote before August recess on a guest worker program for immigrants involved in agriculture and construction.

Organizers of the petition need to get 218 signatures to trigger votes salvaging the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in June. Republicans on both sides of the issue are set to meet in Speaker Paul Ryan’s office Tuesday evening as GOP leaders make a final push to stop the petition.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) sounded hopeful Tuesday that Republican leadership would be able to thwart the discharge efforts. Scalise said it would be “devastating” if the GOP-led House passed a Democratic-backed bill to protect Dreamers.

“We’re not there yet, but I think we’re moving a lot closer,” Scalise said at a POLITICO Playbook event about efforts to negotiate a compromise bill between Republican moderates and hard-liners. “And in exchange we would also make sure there would be no discharge petition.”

Pelosi’s office declined to comment on the upcoming trip. She last visited the U.S.-Mexico border during a trip to McAllen, Texas, with Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in March 2017.