California Gov. Gavin Newsom kicks off his visit to El Salvador with a visit to the tomb of Saint Oscar Romero, who was assassinated at the beginning of the country’s civil war according to the Associated Press.
Newsom is heading to El Salvador to better understand the situation in the violence-torn country.
The visit comes after state lawmakers announced a proposal to create an agency specifically for immigrants and refugees.
The proposal would also establish a Secretary of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to help lead the agency.
In El Salvador, Governor Newsom will get a firsthand look at some of the root causes of migration.
California has the country’s largest immigration population at around 10 million people.
