Harris previously visited the border in June 2021, when she went to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility in El Paso, Texas. In remarks delivered there, Harris noted that El Paso was the site where the Trump administration first revealed their widely criticized policy to separate migrant children from their families.
Harris’ visit was part of her role in the Biden administration leading efforts to address the root causes of northern migration. That part of her job does not entail managing the border, a job that belongs to Homeland Security, so it has always been simply wrong for Trump and other Republicans to call her a “border czar.”
Instead of embracing harsh immigration policies, the Biden-Harris team has focused on improving conditions for residents of nations like El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. The administration has said migration would be reduced by addressing economic needs, countering violence, and promoting human and labor rights in the region.
Republicans didn’t describe Trump’s February visit to the border area in Eagle Pass, Texas, as “political,” however. Yet on that trip, Trump lamented, “We have languages coming into our country, we have nobody that even speaks those languages.”
Trump has consistently embraced racism and xenophobia to attack immigrants. He launched his first presidential campaign by accusing Mexicans of being “rapists” and in the last year has accused migrants of poisoning the blood of the United States. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler made similar comments about Jewish people before initiating the Holocaust, killing millions.
In February, Republicans in Congress failed to pass a bill with bipartisan support that would have significantly increased funding for border security after Trump pushed them to oppose it. That was not because it was a bad bill, but because if it passed Biden would get the credit and it would take away from Trump’s ability to rail about immigration, a major part of his campaign.
As part of her “A New Way Forward” agenda, Harris has said she would back legislation to increase border security while also pursuing immigration reform.
“As president, I will bring back the border security bill that Donald Trump killed, and I will sign it into law, and show Donald Trump what real leadership looks like,” Harris said in a July speech.
We need your help if we’re going to defeat Trump, Vance, Project 2025, and Republicans up and down the ballot. Click here to volunteer to write letters so we can increase voter turnout.
