October 30, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris, long known for her stance supporting leniency in immigration policy, made an unexpected pivot in her campaign message during a major speech at the Ellipse in Washington on Tuesday. In a bid to capture a broader voter base, Harris vowed to prioritize deportation efforts against illegal immigrants and strengthen support for border security—taking aim at former President Donald Trump as she unveiled her vision for immigration reform.
During her speech, Harris emphasized her commitment to bipartisan efforts to address border security and immigration enforcement. “Politicians have got to stop treating immigration as an issue to scare up votes in an election and instead treat it as the serious challenge that it is that we must finally come together to solve,” she told the crowd, pointedly stating her intention to work with Republicans on an immigration bill she claims was previously thwarted by Trump’s administration.
“When I am President, we will quickly remove those who arrive here unlawfully, prosecute the cartels, and give Border Patrol the support they so desperately need,” she stated, echoing the rhetoric of stronger border policy advocates.
This latest stance, however, has been met with criticism and allegations of inconsistency. Harris’s political record includes advocacy for sanctuary policies, calls for ICE reform, and opposition to border wall funding. Critics have been quick to highlight this change as a calculated move to appeal to moderate voters, with several media outlets and political commentators noting the sharp contrast from her previously stated views.
The Trump campaign issued a series of “fact checks” this week following her remarks, documenting instances where Harris had previously shown support for open-border policies and called for the decriminalization of illegal border crossings. In 2019, during a Democratic debate, Harris raised her hand in favor of decriminalizing border crossings and once said, “I am in favor of saying that we’re not going to treat people who are undocumented and cross the border as criminals.” She also expressed support for sanctuary cities and voiced support for dismantling parts of ICE, which she has likened to extremist groups.
The Trump campaign’s fact sheet also referenced her support for amnesty measures, taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants, and her comparison of ICE officers to the Ku Klux Klan. During her tenure as vice president, Harris was named the “border czar” to oversee immigration reform but was criticized for visiting the southern border only once.
Throughout her political career, Harris has faced scrutiny over her shifting positions on immigration, with recent polls indicating that border security remains a pressing issue among U.S. voters. With Election Day approaching, this latest development has sparked renewed discussion on the broader topic of immigration policy and enforcement, drawing attention to how the issue continues to impact both parties.
Sources
- Fox News Digital: Kamala Harris’s immigration stance shifts in campaign speech
- The Hill: Trump campaign issues fact check on Harris’s immigration remarks
- Politico: Vice President Harris pledges tougher immigration stance
