Senator JD Vance Critiques Biden Administration During Arizona Border Tour.
Cochise County, Arizona — Senator JD Vance, a former vice presidential candidate under Donald Trump, visited the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona on Thursday. During his tour, he criticized the Biden administration’s immigration policies and specifically targeted Vice President Kamala Harris.
“It’s hard to believe how bad the Kamala Harris administration’s policies have been for the southern border until you see it yourself,” Vance remarked. He did not mention President Biden, focusing his comments on Harris instead. The Ohio Republican was guided along the border wall by law enforcement officials in Cochise County, an area known for high levels of border crossings.
Vance pledged that a future Trump-Vance administration would reinstate Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, end “catch and release” practices, and complete the construction of the border wall. He also promised to carry out mass deportations of illegal migrants, echoing a commitment made by Trump during his 2024 campaign launch.
This visit comes as reports indicate that unlawful migrant crossings at the U.S. southern border have declined for five consecutive months, reaching their lowest point since fall 2020. However, Vance expressed doubt about the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of immigration.
“I don’t think they are doing anything right,” he told CBS News after the tour. “When Harris says border crossings have dropped, she isn’t counting many who enter through legal ports of entry. So if you look at everything together, the number of illegal crossings is still at all-time highs.”
Republicans frequently accuse the administration of misleading the public by allowing migrants to enter at ports of entry, thus reducing illegal crossings. However, entering at these ports is legal, and data shows that overall crossings have significantly decreased when both illegal entries and legal admissions are considered.
When asked how he would address the root causes of immigration from South America—an issue Harris was assigned early in the Biden administration—Vance inaccurately claimed she was the “border czar.” In reality, her role focused on diplomatic solutions and investments.
“She was tasked with addressing the root causes of immigration,” Vance stated. “I believe the reason for illegal immigration is that Kamala Harris refuses to do her job.”
“This isn’t rocket science,” he continued, stressing the need to improve economies in Central and South America so that people can stay in their home countries.
In the first four months of 2024, Border Patrol recorded over 250,000 migrant apprehensions in the Tucson sector, which includes Cochise County—more than any other region monitored by the agency.
Vance also drew on his family history with addiction to criticize the Biden-Harris administration for the influx of fentanyl into the U.S. “I’ve been a child waiting at my mother’s bedside, hoping she wakes up after taking something she shouldn’t have,” he said. “Unfortunately, this is happening because of the poison Kamala Harris has allowed into our country.”
The senator defended his call to complete the border wall against critics who argue that it is impractical and disruptive. “Not everything is perfect, but law enforcement can cause disruptions when necessary for border security,” Vance told CBS News. “I believe the chaos of uncontrolled migration is a bigger disruption than the wall itself. The cost-benefit analysis shows that we should finish this border wall.”