EL PASO, Texas -- Vice President Kamala Harris visits the southern border for the first time today as the Biden administration aims to stem the flow of Central American migrants seeking refuge in the United States.

The American Civil Liberties Union is watching the diplomatic visit, after extending a pause on litigation brought over Title 42, which the Trump administration leveraged to restrict migrants from entering the U.S. over public health concerns at the start of the pandemic.

Shaw Drake, staff attorney and policy council for the ACLU of Texas, said ending the policy, which has pushed back 10,000 migrant families from entering the country, is more important than stopovers.

"Visits are not what is important," Drake asserted. "What is important is true policy change, in terms of turning back Trump-era abuses. So, we need to see changes to real policy that affects real people."

Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott has announced the state plans to spend $250 million to continue building a border wall.

The ACLU sent letters to 34 Texas counties, informing officials choosing to implement the governor's plan to engage in immigration enforcement would violate the U.S. Constitution.

Gov. Abbott maintains more wall is needed to keep Texans safe, but Drake believes it's a political ploy meant to distract from what critics see as his inadequate responses to the pandemic, and a February winter storm that killed hundreds and left millions without power.

In Drake's view, a state-funded border wall won't contribute to the betterment of Texas families, and he predicts the governor's policy announcements will fail.

"First of all, they are certainly designed to use white supremacist language to incite fear and to distract from the governor's own failures within the state, you know, the failure to provide electricity to Texans," Drake contended.

Former President Donald Trump ran on the promise of building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. After declaring a national emergency in 2019, the Trump administration completed 458 miles of repairs and some new border wall, before the Biden administration withdrew additional funding.

PHILADELPHIA - Several hundred refugees from Afghanistan started to arrive at Philadelphia International Airport this weekend, only a few days after an explosion at the airport in Kabul resulted in the death of at least 170 people along with 13 U.S. service members.

It became the second airport in the country - after Dulles International Airport near Washington, DC - to welcome Afghan refugees after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban.

Cathryn Miller-Wilson - executive director of refugee resettlement organization HIAS Pennsylvania - said under normal circumstances, they receive between 10 days and two weeks notice from their national organization about upcoming refugee arrivals in the region.

"What has happened because of the crisis is about two weeks ago," said Miller-Wilson, "we started getting emails from our national saying, 'Hey, be prepared we're going to be sending you emails with just a few hours notice of people who are cleared to be resettled.'"

Afghan evacuees who don't have green card status or citizenship could end up at nearby Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey. The military base joins six others in the country housing refugees and has the capacity to hold 9,500 people.

After their arrival, Miller-Wilson said HIAS PA has 90 days to help them find housing, open a bank account, secure a job, and much more. HIAS PA is asking for monetary donations to help pay for hotel rooms and other temporary housing.

Miller-Wilson says they're also in need of volunteers.

"We are looking for volunteers for various aspects of resettlement," said Miller-Wilson, "things like going to the airport to pick them up, doing a housing setup, where we set up their new apartment with all the furniture, accompanying clients to their first medical appointment."

City officials have also put out a request for interpreters who speak Dari, Pashto, Urdu, or Farsi to join the Philadelphia Medical Reserve Corps, a group of more than 2,500 volunteers who assist during public health emergencies and large-scale events.

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- State Democratic leaders are urging Gov. Andy Beshear to offer a permanent home to Afghan refugees in Kentucky. At least a dozen other governors so far have pledged to help people leaving Afghanistan relocate to their states.

Rep. Joni Jenkins, D-Shively, said she and her colleagues have sent a formal letter to the governor and the congressional delegation, asking them to implement actions to help fleeing Afghans.

Jenkins noted many seeking asylum are at risk in their homeland because they served alongside American forces, or are women or members of the LGBTQ+ community.

"Leader Morgan McGarvey and I thought it was necessary to act immediately," Jenkins asserted. "The Legislature is not in session at this time, or we would have filed a resolution to be voted on by the entire General Assembly."

It's estimated around 88,000 individuals who worked for the U.S. in Afghanistan and their family members are seeking Special Immigrant Visas. A recent survey of 1,100 U.S. adults found more than 40% would support increasing the number of visas for Afghans, while 44% said the number should remain the same.

Jenkins noted groups like Kentucky Refugee Ministries and the Kentucky Council of Churches are standing by and ready to help.

"Given the events that have happened in the last week, and what all Kentuckians are watching unfold on the news, we thought it was important for us to communicate our support," Jenkins explained. "We want to be part of the solution. We want to welcome folks."

The Biden administration has allocated $500 million for unexpected and urgent refugee and migration needs, victims of conflict, and others at risk as a result of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon said it is using facilities in Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin to house people applying for visas.

DENVER -- Faith organizations joined a prayer vigil led by a coalition of immigrants' rights supporters on Thursday, outside the office of Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., in downtown Denver.

Laura Peniche, hotline manager for the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, said she has been waiting for comprehensive immigration reform for over 20 years. She wants Hickenlooper to make sure a path to citizenship remains intact inside a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill making its way through Congress.

"I think it's a great opportunity for our leaders to come together and provide relief for the millions of families in this country who are waiting to come out of the shadows and contribute fully to our country," Peniche contended.

This week the U.S. Senate, along strict party lines, approved a budget resolution to increase funding for health care, child and elder care, education, and mitigating climate change.

It also includes funding to create a pathway to citizenship for millions of young immigrants, people with Temporary Protected Status, farm and other essential workers. Republicans unanimously opposed the move, calling it a reckless tax and spending spree that could damage the economy.

An estimated five million undocumented immigrants are considered to be essential workers, including over 400,000 doctors, nurses and home-health aides.

Peniche argued giving immigrants, who put themselves and their families at great risk during the pandemic, a meaningful way to become U.S. citizens will ensure they can get health benefits and other protections they urgently need.

"A majority of American people want to see a humane immigration system that works for everyone," Peniche asserted. "We are just like you, human beings who are children of God, who deserve dignity and respect."

The vigil in Denver capped a national week of action meant to draw attention to the need for immigration reform.

Representatives from the offices of Hickenlooper and Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., were in attendance, along with Rep. Jason Crow, D-Aurora, and Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Boulder.