A local assemblyman is heading to the Texas-Mexico border on a "fact-finding mission."

News 12 spoke with Assemblyman Colin Schmitt via Facetime Monday as he traveled to the Rio Grande Valley section of the Texas-Mexico border.

He is on a five-day, personally funded, fact-finding mission to learn more about illegal immigration.

Schmitt says what happens at the border impacts New York and his district in Orange County, where some undocumented immigrants taken into custody by ICE are detained at the Orange County Jail.

He says learning more will help him shape laws related to immigrants in the next legislative session set to begin in January.

"We've seen bills proposed regarding health care, housing and other expenses for illegal aliens, non-citizens. We've also seen legislation that we stopped in the Assembly that would automatically register non-citizens and illegal aliens in New York state to vote," Schmitt said.

Before heading to the border, Schmitt first met with leaders at the Texas Capitol in Austin. They talked about national security issues, tax issues and economical issues.

Schmitt will spend the rest of the week touring the border with Border Patrol agents, meeting with local county sheriffs to see how illegal immigration is impacting their communities, and getting an upclose look at detention facilities.