Harris Attempts to Reframe Record on Illegal Migration Ahead of November Election.
As November’s election approaches, Vice President Kamala Harris is seeking to shift perceptions about her stance on illegal immigration. Her campaign is running ads that present her as a strong advocate for border security, despite evidence to the contrary. The ads highlight her previous work prosecuting gang members and her recent endorsement of a Senate border bill, which critics argue would have entrenched many of the Biden-Harris administration’s lenient border policies.
In a 2017 statement, Harris claimed that “An undocumented immigrant is not a criminal.” However, her campaign now insists that her views align with the current administration’s stance, which holds that unauthorized border crossings are illegal.
During an interview on CNN on August 29, Harris was questioned by Dana Bash about her evolving views. Harris responded that she supports consequences for illegal entry into the U.S., emphasizing the importance of upholding laws. Despite this assertion, the administration’s current practice is to release most individuals apprehended at the border, often providing them with federally funded travel to any location within the U.S.
When asked about what specific consequences she envisions, Harris did not provide a detailed response. Past actions over the last three years suggest that the enforcement under her watch has been largely ineffective.
Amid the electoral noise, the Biden-Harris administration’s mass parole programs continue to admit approximately 70,000 inadmissible aliens per month. In early August, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) paused one such program that allowed entry for 30,000 individuals monthly from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The pause was not due to legal concerns or issues with vetting applicants but because of significant fraud within the program.
A recent U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) report revealed widespread fraud involving fake or deceased Social Security numbers used in sponsorship applications. The report detailed how multiple applications came from the same addresses and phone numbers, with nearly 600 financial supporters using a single Florida warehouse as their address. The system had approved around half a million financial supporters, many of whom were linked to fraudulent activities.
The DHS plans to resume the parole program with some modifications, including improved identity verification and background checks, as well as a $30 fee and biometrics requirement for supporters. However, the fundamental issues with the program remain unresolved.
The USCIS guidelines allow for significant loopholes. For instance, there is no requirement for sponsors to have a legal immigration status, and multiple sponsors can be added to meet financial requirements. Additionally, beneficiaries can demonstrate their own financial self-sufficiency, making it easy for inadmissible aliens to sponsor themselves.
Despite the program’s flaws and the embarrassment caused by the fraud report, the Biden-Harris administration appears determined to continue its approach. The temporary pause in the program is seen as a minor setback rather than a significant policy shift.
The BorderLine is a weekly feature of the Daily Signal, examining the illegal immigration crisis, its impact on communities, and related issues such as human trafficking and drug smuggling.