Kamala Harris has visited the Southern Border for the first time in three years after letting over 10 million illegals enter the country.
Harris, who is suddenly pro-wall, previously called the wall Trump’s “medieval vanity project.”
“Trump’s border wall is a complete waste of taxpayer money and won’t make us any safer,” she previously said.
“President Biden and I supported the toughest and fairest set of bipartisan border security reforms in decades.
“Congressional Republicans voted against them — twice.
“We took executive action to reduce unlawful border crossings, which are now lower than when we took office.
“Donald Trump tanked a bill to improve border security—just so he can win this election.
“As I have shown throughout my career, I won’t back down from my plan to make our border more secure,” Kamala Harris said.
Since Harris entered office and became “Border Czar,” over 400,000 convicted criminals have been released into the public, according to Fox News.
Here are 10 key takeaways from Kamala Harris’ visit to the Southern Border
- 1. First Trip to the Border: This visit was Harris’ first to the U.S.-Mexico border in three year and since Joe Biden handed power to her, following months of pressure from critics regarding the surge in migrants.
- 2. Focus on Root Causes: In her first visit in 2021 as Vice President, Kamala Harris emphasised that her approach focuses on the root causes of migration, primarily addressing issues such as violence, corruption, and poverty in Central American countries.
- 3. Visit to El Paso: El Paso had long been symbolic in the debate over immigration policy. Critics argued she should have visited areas more heavily impacted by the migrant surge, like the Rio Grande Valley.
- 4. Meetings with Officials: Harris met with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials, local faith-based organisations, and advocates working on immigration to better understand the situation on the ground in 2021, what would be her course now?
- 5. Detention Centre Visit: During her 2021 trip, she visited a CBP processing centre to observe firsthand how migrants, including children, are processed. But, is she going to stop it?
- 6. Criticism and Timing: Critics, particularly Republicans, argued that Harris’ trip was long overdue, happening after her assignment by President Biden as the lead on migration issues started in March 2021.
- 7. Emphasis on Solutions: Harris reiterated that solving the migration crisis would require a long-term commitment to addressing the economic, security, and governance challenges in migrants’ home countries, particularly in the Northern Triangle (Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador).
- 8. Response to Critics: Kamala Harris downplayed criticism, noting that her focus was on the diplomatic front and that her trip to the border was only one component of the administration’s broader strategy.
- 9. Media Presence: The trip garnered extensive media attention, highlighting both the administration’s efforts to deal with migration and the challenges at the border, particularly the increase in unaccompanied minors.
- 10. Political Implications: The visit had political ramifications, as it underscored the current administration’s challenges in balancing progressive calls for more humane immigration policies with the need to manage the influx of migrants effectively.
This trip was part of broader efforts to reform the U.S. immigration system while handling ongoing humanitarian concerns at the border.