How Harris was dogged by ‘border czar’ label, past radical immigration views during failed campaign
Vice President Kamala Harris entered the presidential race with a focus on immigration and border security, but faced challenges due to her past radical policies as a California senator and her role in the Biden administration’s handling of the crisis at the southern border. According to the Fox News Voter Analysis, voters favored President-elect Donald Trump over Harris when it came to handling immigration, with 52% choosing Trump and only 36% choosing Harris.
Immigration was a top issue for voters, with 20% citing it as the most important issue facing the country. This placed it behind the economy and jobs (39%) but ahead of other issues like abortion and climate change. The roots of Harris’ struggles on immigration can be traced back to 2021 when the Biden-Harris administration rolled back Trump-era policies and implemented new ones that led to a surge at the border, overwhelming Border Patrol agents and breaking records for encounters.
As the crisis escalated, President Biden tasked Harris with leading diplomacy efforts in countries south of the border to address the root causes of migration. Despite facing pressure to visit the southern border, Harris initially shrugged off calls to do so. Eventually, she visited El Paso, Texas, but the controversy surrounding her handling of the crisis persisted.
Throughout her tenure, Harris raised over $5.2 billion from various companies and organizations to address the root causes of migration. She also supported a bipartisan border security bill that failed to pass the Senate. Harris accused Trump of sabotaging the bill for political reasons, but ultimately, her efforts were not enough to overcome her deficit on the issue compared to Trump.
Harris’ past statements on immigration, including her support for gender transition surgery for detained migrants, were used against her by Republicans. She also faced criticism for her previous calls to decriminalize illegal border crossings and close immigration detention centers. Despite her attempts to distance herself from these positions, they continued to haunt her throughout her campaign.
As the 2024 presidential election approached, Trump reiterated his promises to secure the border by resuming wall construction, launching mass deportation operations, and ending Biden-era policies. While Harris emphasized her experience as an attorney general combating transnational criminal organizations, it was not enough to sway voters on the issue of immigration and border security.
In the end, Harris was unable to overcome her deficit on the issue compared to Trump, who maintained a strong stance on securing the border. As the country looks towards the future, immigration and border security remain key issues that will shape the political landscape in the coming years.
