Shortly after becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee for President following President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race, Vice President Kamala Harris faced a bipartisan resolution in the House of Representatives criticizing her handling of border security.
Though largely seen as a Republican-led effort, several Democrats also supported the resolution, which condemned Harris’s performance in her role as the administration’s point person on border issues.
In March 2021, President Biden assigned Harris to lead efforts to curb migration from the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Since then, the number of illegal border crossings has surged, with projections for Fiscal Year 2024 indicating a record 3.4 million illegal entries, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform.
New York Republican and House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik introduced the resolution, which carries no legal force. The resolution criticized Harris for taking three months to visit the southern border and blamed the Biden-Harris administration’s “open border policies” for the historic surge in illegal crossings.
Six Democrats—Reps. Jared Golden (Maine), Yadira Caraveo (Colorado), Don Davis (North Carolina), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Washington), Henry Cuellar (Texas), and Mary Peltola (Alaska)—joined 214 Republicans in condemning Harris’s handling of the border crisis.
With immigration and border security among the top issues for voters in the upcoming presidential election, recent Gallup polling shows a majority of Americans support increased border restrictions, with more than three-quarters favoring more border patrol agents. For the first time, a majority also expressed support for constructing a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Recent reports highlight the extent of what some, including the Free Beacon, have labeled as Harris’s “failure” in her border role, noting that a program intended to expedite the deportation of families who entered the country illegally has only deported 10% of those targeted.
Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance criticized Harris’s “open border policies” during an appearance on ABC News’ This Week, debating whether Harris should be officially considered a “border czar.”
With Biden out of the race, immigration has become a key issue in the campaign, with former President Donald Trump benefiting from strong support for stricter immigration policies. While Republican views on immigration have remained consistent, favoring robust measures against illegal immigration, Democratic opinions have shifted toward reducing immigration since 2020.
Harris and Trump are scheduled to debate on September 10th in an event hosted by ABC News, where immigration and border security are expected to be key topics.
