GOP presidential candidate Sen. Tim Scott visits southern border

YUMA, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — Republican presidential hopeful Sen. Tim Scott made his first visit to the Arizona-Mexico border on Friday. The South Carolina senator has been outspoken about border security, blaming President Joe Biden for illegal crossings and the fentanyl crisis.

During his visit, Scott hosted a roundtable with Yuma leaders. “Because of fentanyl, every county is a border county,” Scott said. Scott knocked the president for not closing the southern border. “Joe Biden coming to office has allowed for more than 6 million folks to cross our border illegally,” he said.

Scott has built his campaign around increased border security, saying he would increase manpower and invest in the infrastructure. “The importance of building the wall, finishing the wall using the available technology to surveil our border and stop the flow of fentanyl across our border,” he said.

Scott also touted his “fentanyl eradication and narcotics deterrence” or FEND Off Fentanyl Act, targeting the fentanyl crisis. He also spoke with a Yuma mother who lost her son to fentanyl. “As president of the United States, I will sign legislation I created to freeze the assets of cartels,” he said. While he remains well-behind front runner Donald Trump in the polls, his approval rating with GOP voters has been rising.

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