Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a speech in Arizona, addressing border security and immigration issues ahead of the upcoming presidential election. She promised to take a harder line on those who cross the border illegally and accused former President Donald Trump of sabotaging legislation that could have helped to solve the problem. Harris emphasized the importance of enforcing rules at the border and increasing criminal penalties for repeat offenders. She also discussed the impact of fentanyl smuggling and the need to reform the immigration system.
Harris highlighted her experience as a two-term attorney general of California, where she prosecuted Mexican smuggling gangs and saw firsthand the operations used to traffic drugs and contraband into the United States. She criticized Trump for failing to reform the immigration system during his tenure and pledged to make it a priority, including offering a path to citizenship for individuals brought into the country illegally as children. Harris aims to close the gap in polling on illegal immigration between Biden and Trump, blaming Trump for thwarting legislation that would have enhanced border security measures.
Trump’s influence on the decision to halt the border security bill earlier this year is acknowledged by Senator James Lankford, the lead negotiator for Republicans on the bill. Lankford revealed that Trump lobbied his colleagues to kill the bill to gain a political advantage in the election, a move that was ultimately successful. Trump admitted that he did not want the bill to pass during a rally, accepting blame for its failure. Harris, who is now the presumptive Democratic nominee, has faced criticism from Trump for her handling of the immigration problem as the self-appointed “border czar.”
Since becoming Trump’s opponent, Harris has proven to be a more effective communicator than Biden, particularly in highlighting Trump’s role in influencing border security legislation. In a presidential debate with Trump, Harris accused him of blocking the border bill solely to maintain it as a campaign issue. She also criticized Trump’s failure to make Mexico pay for the border wall he promised during his 2016 campaign. Despite initial promises to compel Mexico to fund the wall, Trump diverted funds allocated for housing and schools for military service members to build portions of the border barrier.
By the time Trump left office, only 52 new miles of fencing had been constructed where there was previously no barrier along the border. An additional 400 miles of steel fencing was erected to replace older barriers. Harris’s visit to the Arizona border highlighted her commitment to addressing the root causes of migration flows from Latin America into the United States. While Trump criticized her for failing to secure the border, Harris has clarified that her role was to focus on deeper issues driving migration rather than simply fortifying the border. As the presidential election approaches, border security and immigration remain key issues for both candidates.
