Kamala Harris’ Record on Immigration and Border Policy Takes Center Stage in VP Debate
At the vice presidential debate held in New York on Tuesday night, the immigration records of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump became a central issue as their respective running mates, Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, engaged in a heated exchange. This debate provided an opportunity for each candidate to showcase the strengths and weaknesses of their running mates’ approaches to immigration, both at the state and national levels.
Immigration Crisis and Child Separation Policy at the Border
The conversation began with JD Vance being questioned about the Trump administration’s infamous policy of separating children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border. This policy, implemented during Trump’s presidency, faced widespread criticism before it was eventually reversed. Vance, rather than addressing the question directly, shifted the blame to Kamala Harris, arguing that her approach to border policy under the Biden administration has exacerbated the immigration crisis.
Vance stated that Harris, in her role as vice president, had dismantled many of Trump’s immigration policies. He specifically pointed to her alleged suspension of deportations, her leniency toward asylum seekers, and what he described as an increase in “asylum fraud.” According to Vance, this shift in policy has opened the floodgates for illegal immigration, with serious consequences such as increased fentanyl trafficking across the border.
Kamala Harris’ Role in Immigration and Border Security
As a former California Attorney General, Harris had a significant role in dealing with border issues. California, being a border state, made Harris uniquely positioned to address matters of immigration and drug trafficking. Tim Walz, in defense of Harris, highlighted her work prosecuting transnational gangs involved in human trafficking and drug smuggling. He emphasized that Harris’ efforts in California were instrumental in combating these issues, noting that she is the only candidate in the race with this level of experience.
Walz further asserted that Harris has been wrongly blamed for the Biden administration’s handling of the southern border. He pointed out that Harris’ role in U.S. diplomacy, specifically in working with Central American countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, has been to address the root causes of migration. However, despite Harris’ diplomatic efforts, Republicans have dubbed her the “border czar,” accusing her of being responsible for the current border situation.
Trump’s Stance on Immigration and Its Political Ramifications
Walz took the opportunity to remind the audience that Trump’s administration had actively worked to block a bipartisan immigration reform bill that could have addressed many of the issues plaguing the U.S. immigration system today. He argued that Trump had a vested interest in keeping immigration as a polarizing election issue, rather than working towards a solution.
According to Walz, most Americans, as well as members of Congress, the Border Patrol, and the Chamber of Commerce, were in favor of immigration reform. However, Trump’s actions during his presidency derailed these efforts. Walz suggested that Trump’s focus on vilifying immigrants has made the issue of immigration a wedge issue in American politics.
Avoidance of Key Questions
Throughout the debate, both Vance and Walz were accused of dodging key questions. Vance did not directly answer whether a second Trump administration would reinstate the family separation policy. Instead, he shifted the focus to blaming Harris for the border crisis, repeating claims that her policies have allowed drug cartels to use children as drug mules.
When the moderator pressed Vance to clarify his stance on family separation, he again deflected by accusing Harris of enabling the crisis. He argued that child separations were already happening under the current administration due to the “open border” policies, which he claimed have allowed drug mules and traffickers to operate freely.
On the other hand, Walz avoided answering a question about mass deportations, a contentious topic that many Americans see as a potential solution to the border crisis. With increasing support for deportation policies, particularly in border states, Walz steered the conversation away from this issue, instead emphasizing the need for bipartisan reform.
