Bachmann Heads to Mexico Border for Look at Crisis

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota Republican Michele Bachmann is spending the weekend along the U.S.-Mexico border to get a firsthand look at an immigration crisis involving Central American youth.

Bachmann and Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King were scheduled to arrive in southern Texas on Friday night and leave on Monday.

According to Bachmann's office, the members of Congress were planning stops in the Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo areas to visit with border patrol personnel and local officials.

Bachmann has been critical of President Barack Obama's handling of immigration and border security issues.

Thousands of minors, mostly from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, have flooded across the U.S. border in recent months.

Obama asked Congress for $3.7 billion to fortify the border, speed up judicial proceedings and take other steps to deal with the crisis.