She said she would go further than merely reviving the failed bipartisan border bill if elected president.
DOUGLAS, Ariz.—Vice President Kamala Harris visited the U.S.-Mexico border in Douglas, Arizona, on Sept. 27 to address the nation’s illegal immigration crisis.
Harris called for tightening restrictions on asylum as former President Donald Trump continues to lead on the topic of immigration among many of the nation’s voters, according to polls.
“Those who cross our borders unlawfully will be apprehended and removed and barred from reentering for five years. We will pursue more severe criminal charges against repeat violators, and if someone does not make an asylum request at a legal point of entry and instead crosses our border unlawfully, they will be barred from receiving asylum,” Harris said, promising to implement this policy if elected.
While President Joe Biden temporarily suspended entry of certain noncitizens across the southern border on June 4, he also rescinded many of Trump’s immigration policies, including one that forced asylum-seekers to stay in Mexico until receiving a court date from U.S. immigration.
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Trump has promised to restore his administration’s border policies, complete the wall along the southern border, “carry out the largest deportation operation in American history,” and increase penalties for illegal border crossings, among other proposals.
He also visited the border in Montezuma Pass, Arizona, on Aug. 22 to emphasize the threat of illegal migration.
During a press conference on Sept. 26, Trump returned to calling Harris Biden’s “border czar.”
“Kamala Harris will be visiting the southern border that she has completely destroyed,” Trump said. “Why would she go to the border now, playing right into the hand of her opponent?”
The project involved advocating for private-sector investments in the region in an effort to create jobs and decrease the impetus for locals to leave the area for the United States. Even so, the influx of migration has persisted since.
On Friday, Harris also touted her efforts prosecuting transnational gangs as California attorney general, a common theme in her campaign speeches and television ads.
She promised to increase law enforcement funding and training, including 100 new inspection systems for detecting the drug hidden inside vehicles, to limit its flow through ports of entry. Harris also said she would double the Justice Department’s resources to “extradite and prosecute transnational criminal organizations and the cartels.”
Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, speaks during a campaign event at Cochise College Douglas Campus in Douglas, Ariz., on Sept. 27, 2024. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
She targeted China for being the source of fentanyl’s precursor chemicals and pledged to crack down on the companies responsible. Harris also advocated reforming lawful pathways to citizenship.
These calls for action go further than her usual campaign remarks on immigration, which have thus far been mostly limited to hammering Trump for telling Senate Republicans to oppose the bipartisan border bill. She has repeatedly promised to revive the legislation if elected and sign it into law, but that would require congressional support from the GOP.
“The American people deserve a president who cares more about border security than playing political games and their personal political future,” Harris told the crowd of more than 300 in Douglas.
The small city of Douglas—with a population of roughly 16,000—has a Democratic majority in an otherwise Republican-dominated Cochise County. It is close to Agua Prieta, Mexico, a busy port of entry into the United States. Harris said the Biden administration is currently processing a half-a-billion-dollar investment in modernizing and expanding Douglas’s port of entry.
“As your president, I will protect our nation’s sovereignty, secure our border, and work to fix our broken system of immigration. And I will partner with Democrats, Republicans, and independents to do it,” Harris said.
Immigration Reform Top Concern
Several Democrats who support the vice president told The Epoch Times that border security and immigration reform were top concerns.
“I want to hear about the immigrants that are coming over,” said Veronica Garcia of Douglas. “Do they have sponsors? Are they on their own? Are we going to be supporting them? That’s my concern.”
“I think they should limit [immigration].”
Veronica Garcia (L) and Olga Santana (R) are both Harris supporters who believe in limits on immigration and policy reform. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times
Garcia said she prefers Joe Biden for re-election, but she supports Harris during the transition.
“We need some young blood,” Garcia said.
Having experienced border crossings in her neighborhood, Olga Santana of Douglas agreed with her friend.
“I live three streets away from the fence. If they’re going to pass, they’ll do it probably late at night,” Santana said, and believes there should be limits on immigration.
Despite a decreasing number of illegal crossings from Mexico to Arizona in 2024, Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels said the border is still “in turmoil.”
“There’s no doubt about it. We see the tragedies,” Dannels told The Epoch Times.
Dannels said that he and Harris met to discuss border control strategy before the rally, and she promised to commit to the sheriffs in border communities if she is elected.
“We’re holding her to it if she gets elected,” Dannels said.
A group of Harris supporters hold signs outside her border event in Douglas, Arizona, on Sept. 27, 2024 Allan Stein/The Epoch Times
Alex, a Harris supporter from Tucson, said that the border issue is difficult to discuss given the complexity of the issue.
He doesn’t think that giving cities sanctuary status is a good idea.
“Most [immigrants] you come across actually have court dates in order to determine whether they’re going to be citizens or not,” Alex said.
“I don’t think that [sanctuary status] would be a good idea, but most of the time, when they do get their court date, they disperse into other areas.”
Sherry, who lives in Tucson and plans to vote for Harris, said she supports legal immigration and believes illegal immigrants should not be allowed to stay in the country.
“Come through the front door—not the back door. I don’t care who you are or what your situation is. Come through the front door,” she said.
Karen Christiana, an Arizona resident, said that hearing the Harris immigration plan for immigration reform and border security resonated with her.
“I’m really impressed with her. It’s time for a woman president, for god’s sake,” she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Original News Source Link – Epoch Times
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