Watch live as US Border Patrol chief testifies on border security

Watch live as US Border Patrol chief Raul Ortiz testifies before the House Homeland Security Committee during a field hearing on Wednesday (15 March).

The hearing - taking place in Pharr, Texas, near the border with Mexico - is titled “Failure By Design: Examining Secretary Mayorkas’ Border Crisis”.

It is being held “to examine the direct link between President Joe Biden and Secretary Mayorkas’ reckless border policies and the unprecedented crisis at our southwest border,” according to Fox News.

Lawmakers have said that the in-person hearings will allow those in Washington DC to hear directly from those affected first-hand by the ongoing migrant crisis.

Mr Ortiz has rarely made public appearances as the leader of the US Border Patrol, making his on-the-record testimony significant.

The hearing will also include testimony from Steve Cagen, a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official dealing with transnational crime.

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