HIDALGO – U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said Friday’s trip to the Rio Grande Valley was about identifying the needs of law enforcement who work along the border.

Vice President Pence arrived to the Valley with Second Lady Karen Pence, Senator Ted Cruz and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen at his side to tour the busiest border crossing in the southwest. Valley native Eddie Zamora said he appreciates the visit.

“I think it’s very good and very important for this particular location, you know I’m familiar with it a little bit and he can learn a lot about what’s going on on the river right here in this location,” Zamora explained.

The border was the focus of Pence’s trip. He and his guests took a boat tour of the Rio Grande River, walked along the current border fence and took a peek inside the Mcallen-Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge Station. Border Patrol Chief Manuel Padilla said the visit was important.

“You know Mcallen and the Valley, it’s a safe area, however, the border needs a lot of work still. And some of that work is what we call the personnel, technology and infrastructure. Some of that is the wall system,” Padilla told CHANNEL 5 NEWS.

Padilla said the Valley sector of the border needs more sensors, a wall that creates a deterrent factor for illegal crossers and more roads for agents to patrol along the border. Pence had this to say to his host.

“I also heard about the challenges that you face here and I can assure you that we will carry back to the President and to the Congress what are the real world needs,” Pence said.

According to a schedule released by the White House, Dallas is the next stop for Pence and the Second Lady.

Padilla said he feels the visit went well. He tells us the best way for anyone to appreciate the situation at the border is to visit it themselves.