Harris to charge Trump with 'playing political games' over immigration during border visit
The vice president is heading to the southern border for her inaugural visit as the Democratic nominee.
TroibNews 
When Vice President Kamala Harris embarks on her first trip to the southern border as the Democratic nominee, it represents a significant move in her strategy to diminish Donald Trump’s appeal among voters regarding immigration.
This issue is one of her most significant weaknesses, prompting Harris to take a more aggressive stance. She plans to use her visit to Douglas, Arizona, to advocate for stronger border security while once again highlighting Trump’s involvement in derailing the bipartisan border agreement earlier this year, as disclosed by a senior campaign official who spoke on condition of anonymity regarding Friday’s speech.
The campaign is also set to unveil a new advertisement in Arizona and other key states, showcasing her proposal to “hire more border agents, enforce the law and step up technology and stop fentanyl smuggling and human trafficking.”
“The American people deserve a president who cares more about border security than playing political games,” Harris will assert in her prepared remarks.
Despite the vice president’s efforts over recent months to highlight her record as California's attorney general, where she prosecuted international gangs and criminal organizations involved in drug, gun, and human trafficking, voters still tend to regard Trump more favorably on immigration issues. She has also pledged to revive the border bill if she is elected president.
“Donald Trump got word of the bill, realized it was going to fix a problem he wanted to run on, and told them to kill the bill, don’t put it up for a vote,” Harris stated during her interview Wednesday night with MSNBC. “He killed a bill that would have actually been a solution because he wants to run on a problem, instead of fixing a problem.”
According to the senior campaign official, Harris felt it was important to visit the border to reiterate this message, addressing a community that experiences the challenges of immigration firsthand. Her campaign confirmed that she will meet with border patrol agents on Friday, emphasizing the need for additional resources. The border bill she supported aimed to add 1,500 more border agents and officers and received backing from the Border Patrol union.
During her visit, she will also discuss fentanyl issues and call on the Chinese government to take action against companies manufacturing the chemicals used to produce the drug.
This trip comes amid ongoing criticism from Trump, who continues to attack Harris on immigration, mischaracterizing her as a “border czar” to amplify his critique of her role in addressing the root causes of migration within the Biden administration. On the same day as Harris' acceptance speech at the Democratic convention last month, Trump visited Cochise County, Arizona—the same area Harris will be touring—to hold her accountable for the border crisis.
Trump reiterated his condemnation of Harris on Thursday regarding her upcoming border visit, criticizing her during a press conference in New York City for “playing right into the hand of her opponent.” He persistently denounced the border bill, labeling it “atrocious” and an “amnesty bill.”
“She should save her airfare. She should go back to the White House and tell the president to close the border,” Trump remarked. “Instead, she’s going there to try and convince people that she wasn’t as bad as everybody knows she was. She was the worst in history, grossly incompetent, weak and ineffective.”
Harris has previously traveled to the border in her role as vice president. However, she faced backlash early in the Biden administration following a challenging interview with NBC’s Lester Holt, who questioned her lack of a border visit. “And I haven’t been to Europe,” Harris said, a comment that Republicans have continued to leverage against her on this issue, in which they have invested heavily.
These remarks came during a tumultuous period for the White House, marked by staff turnover and widespread confusion regarding immigration policies. Now, more than three years later, Democrats have united around a consistent message for election year: Democrats seek solutions, while Trump obstructed a bipartisan border agreement for political advantage.
Following the failure of the border legislation, Democrats have adopted a more assertive stance on the issue, taking cues from Rep. Tom Suozzi, who won a special election in New York by focusing on enhancing border security.
Advisors to Harris believe this message is gaining traction with some voters, though more effort is necessary—reflected in her decision to visit the border.
Harris might also find herself bolstered by some favorable developments, which she is expected to highlight during her upcoming speech. Border crossings have reportedly declined to levels seen during Trump’s final month in office, lessening media scrutiny of a crisis at the southern border just weeks before the election. In response to the collapsed border deal in February, Biden implemented stricter asylum measures, which dramatically reduced illegal crossings—providing Harris with a useful data point for her campaign.
While Harris’ messaging on border security has pleased many Democrats, some allies and immigration advocates are quietly urging her to also address the need for relief for undocumented immigrants who have long lived in the U.S. They believe that Trump’s commitment to mass deportations allows Harris to revisit his controversial family separation policy.
The senior campaign official indicated that Harris will discuss both the necessity of securing the border and the creation of an organized and humane immigration system, arguing for a balance between maintaining security and upholding the nation's legacy as a haven for immigrants.
Lisa Kashinksy contributed to this report.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
This issue is one of her most significant weaknesses, prompting Harris to take a more aggressive stance. She plans to use her visit to Douglas, Arizona, to advocate for stronger border security while once again highlighting Trump’s involvement in derailing the bipartisan border agreement earlier this year, as disclosed by a senior campaign official who spoke on condition of anonymity regarding Friday’s speech.
The campaign is also set to unveil a new advertisement in Arizona and other key states, showcasing her proposal to “hire more border agents, enforce the law and step up technology and stop fentanyl smuggling and human trafficking.”
“The American people deserve a president who cares more about border security than playing political games,” Harris will assert in her prepared remarks.
Despite the vice president’s efforts over recent months to highlight her record as California's attorney general, where she prosecuted international gangs and criminal organizations involved in drug, gun, and human trafficking, voters still tend to regard Trump more favorably on immigration issues. She has also pledged to revive the border bill if she is elected president.
“Donald Trump got word of the bill, realized it was going to fix a problem he wanted to run on, and told them to kill the bill, don’t put it up for a vote,” Harris stated during her interview Wednesday night with MSNBC. “He killed a bill that would have actually been a solution because he wants to run on a problem, instead of fixing a problem.”
According to the senior campaign official, Harris felt it was important to visit the border to reiterate this message, addressing a community that experiences the challenges of immigration firsthand. Her campaign confirmed that she will meet with border patrol agents on Friday, emphasizing the need for additional resources. The border bill she supported aimed to add 1,500 more border agents and officers and received backing from the Border Patrol union.
During her visit, she will also discuss fentanyl issues and call on the Chinese government to take action against companies manufacturing the chemicals used to produce the drug.
This trip comes amid ongoing criticism from Trump, who continues to attack Harris on immigration, mischaracterizing her as a “border czar” to amplify his critique of her role in addressing the root causes of migration within the Biden administration. On the same day as Harris' acceptance speech at the Democratic convention last month, Trump visited Cochise County, Arizona—the same area Harris will be touring—to hold her accountable for the border crisis.
Trump reiterated his condemnation of Harris on Thursday regarding her upcoming border visit, criticizing her during a press conference in New York City for “playing right into the hand of her opponent.” He persistently denounced the border bill, labeling it “atrocious” and an “amnesty bill.”
“She should save her airfare. She should go back to the White House and tell the president to close the border,” Trump remarked. “Instead, she’s going there to try and convince people that she wasn’t as bad as everybody knows she was. She was the worst in history, grossly incompetent, weak and ineffective.”
Harris has previously traveled to the border in her role as vice president. However, she faced backlash early in the Biden administration following a challenging interview with NBC’s Lester Holt, who questioned her lack of a border visit. “And I haven’t been to Europe,” Harris said, a comment that Republicans have continued to leverage against her on this issue, in which they have invested heavily.
These remarks came during a tumultuous period for the White House, marked by staff turnover and widespread confusion regarding immigration policies. Now, more than three years later, Democrats have united around a consistent message for election year: Democrats seek solutions, while Trump obstructed a bipartisan border agreement for political advantage.
Following the failure of the border legislation, Democrats have adopted a more assertive stance on the issue, taking cues from Rep. Tom Suozzi, who won a special election in New York by focusing on enhancing border security.
Advisors to Harris believe this message is gaining traction with some voters, though more effort is necessary—reflected in her decision to visit the border.
Harris might also find herself bolstered by some favorable developments, which she is expected to highlight during her upcoming speech. Border crossings have reportedly declined to levels seen during Trump’s final month in office, lessening media scrutiny of a crisis at the southern border just weeks before the election. In response to the collapsed border deal in February, Biden implemented stricter asylum measures, which dramatically reduced illegal crossings—providing Harris with a useful data point for her campaign.
While Harris’ messaging on border security has pleased many Democrats, some allies and immigration advocates are quietly urging her to also address the need for relief for undocumented immigrants who have long lived in the U.S. They believe that Trump’s commitment to mass deportations allows Harris to revisit his controversial family separation policy.
The senior campaign official indicated that Harris will discuss both the necessity of securing the border and the creation of an organized and humane immigration system, arguing for a balance between maintaining security and upholding the nation's legacy as a haven for immigrants.
Lisa Kashinksy contributed to this report.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News
