Vice President Kamala Harris will be making her first visit to the U.S.-Mexico border since becoming the Democratic nominee, as Republicans have criticized her handling of the immigration issue and labeled her as the administration’s “border czar.” However, this misinterprets the narrow task Harris was actually assigned by President Joe Biden in March 2021. Harris was tasked with a diplomatic effort to address the root causes of migration from the “Northern Triangle” countries and improve the economy in the region. Despite this specific assignment, some media outlets referred to her as the “border czar,” which Republicans seized on to attack her.
Harris was never responsible for managing border security in the U.S., as that falls under the purview of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Mayorkas clarified that Harris was leading efforts to address the root causes of migration, while he focused on border security and management. Harris has been successful in attracting private sector investment in the Northern Triangle countries, which has resulted in the creation of 250,000 jobs. However, the impact of addressing root causes of migration will take longer to show results compared to more immediate measures to stop migrants at the border.
Immigration levels from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador have decreased since Harris took on the assignment, with encounters with migrants from these countries dropping from approximately 700,000 in 2021 to 500,000 in 2023. Despite this progress, encounters with migrants from other countries outside Harris’ purview have gone up. Harris is set to deliver remarks on the border in Douglas, Arizona, on Friday, advocating for American sovereignty through setting and enforcing border rules, as well as pushing for additional resources for border agents and measures to detect fentanyl at ports of entry.
Harris has not outlined concrete policy proposals for immigration ahead of the 2024 presidential election but has focused on passing a bipartisan border bill that failed to pass Congress earlier this year. She has also expressed support for comprehensive reform, strong border security, and an earned pathway to citizenship. Harris’ views on immigration have evolved since the 2020 presidential primary, with her distancing herself from more left-leaning positions. Harris has faced criticism from both the right and the left for various statements and actions related to immigration throughout her vice presidency.
Republicans have ramped up their criticism of the Biden administration’s handling of the immigration issue amid an increase in encounters with migrants at the border. The GOP has accused the White House of mishandling the border crisis, leading to suspension of asylum admissions by the Biden administration in response. Harris’ visit to the border on Friday aims to address ongoing concerns and push for a more structured, secure, and humane immigration system. Her efforts to address root causes of migration have shown some progress but will require more time to fully yield results.
