Democrats see New York election win as model for tackling immigration issue

Tom Suozzi went on the offensive over border security in George Santos's old seat as Senate Republicans torpedoed a bipartisan deal

Weeks before Tuesday's special House election in New York, Republican Mazi Pilip held a press conference outside a migrant shelter in Queens to assail Democrats' handling of the humanitarian crisis at the US-Mexico border that has led tens of thousands of people to seek refuge in the state.

Moments later, her opponent, Democrat Tom Suozzi, arrived on the scene and staged a rival press conference, during which he sought to talk about this immigration crisis that is affecting so many families" and rebut" some of Pilip's claims.