Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2024, is reportedly planning a visit to the US-Mexico border in Arizona. This move comes amidst persistent criticism of her handling of the ongoing border crisis and her shifting stance on immigration policy. While some see this visit as a sincere attempt to address the issue, others view it as a mere political stunt designed to improve her image on a critical election issue.
Harris’s campaign is considering the visit as a way to present her as a tough-on-border-security candidate. This effort is fueled by concerns about her standing in polls, particularly regarding illegal immigration and border security, where she trails former President Donald Trump significantly. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 46% of Americans prefer Trump’s approach to immigration over Harris’s 36%.
The timing of the visit is strategically chosen, as it coincides with a surge in migrant crossings, which reached record highs under the Biden administration. Republicans have attributed this surge to the administration’s ‘open border’ policies and the rollback of Trump-era measures like border wall construction and the Remain-in-Mexico policy. The Biden administration, however, counters that they require more funding and reforms from Congress and points to a decrease in border encounters following President Biden’s executive order in June limiting asylum entries.
Harris’s past positions on immigration have been scrutinized. Video footage has surfaced of her chanting ‘down, down with deportation’ at a parade in 2018. She has also advocated for amnesty for undocumented immigrants, including expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program through executive order. She has even expressed support for using parole authority to create a ‘parole in place’ program for illegal immigrants, potentially leading to a path to citizenship. Further, she backed cuts to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
However, her campaign has confirmed that she has shifted her positions on certain immigration policies since entering the presidential race this summer. This includes abandoning her previous support for decriminalizing illegal crossings and closing immigration detention centers. This shift has been met with skepticism from Republicans, with many dismissing the border visit as a staged photo opportunity. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) asserts that Harris is merely seeking a ‘cleaned-up photo op’ and will not truly engage with the complex realities of the border situation. He believes that any improvements at the border will be temporary and cosmetic, designed to present a misleading picture for the cameras.
The Harris campaign, in response to these criticisms, emphasizes her commitment to enforcing immigration laws, prioritizing detention and removal of those posing a threat to public safety, and ensuring compliance with immigration proceedings and decisions. They point to her consistent support for a bipartisan border security bill that would increase funding for the border while limiting asylum entries into the US. She has also been vocal about her experience as a prosecutor targeting members of transnational criminal organizations.
Despite these efforts, Republicans and immigration hawks remain unconvinced. They argue that while there may be a short-term decline in apprehensions, the real solution lies in a fundamental change in strategy. RJ Hauman, President of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE) and visiting adviser at The Heritage Foundation, dismisses the visit as a meaningless gesture, questioning its purpose and suggesting it will only serve to mislead the American public.
The debate surrounding Harris’s border visit underscores the complexity of the immigration issue and the starkly contrasting views held by different political parties. Whether it is a genuine attempt to address the crisis or a purely political maneuver, the visit is certain to be closely watched by voters in the lead up to the 2024 presidential election.
