Vance visits U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona, criticizes Harris’s immigration record
Senator JD Vance, former President Donald Trump’s potential vice presidential running mate, recently embarked on a tour of the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona. The purpose of his visit was to scrutinize the immigration policies of the Biden administration and specifically target Vice President Kamala Harris for her handling of the issue.
Vance did not hold back in his criticism of the current administration’s approach to immigration. While he refrained from directly mentioning President Biden, he focused his grievances on Vice President Harris, labeling her policies as detrimental to the southern border. During a tour of the border wall in Cochise County, Arizona, Vance underscored the shortcomings in the government’s strategies.
If a Trump-Vance presidency were to materialize, Vance vowed to reinstate Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, terminate “catch and release” practices, and complete the border wall. Additionally, he pledged to execute mass deportations of illegal migrants, a recurrent promise from Trump’s 2024 campaign.
The timing of Vance’s visit coincided with a decline in unlawful migrant crossings along the U.S. southern border. The numbers have steadily dropped for the past five months, marking the lowest levels seen since the end of 2020. Despite these trends, Vance appeared unsatisfied, denouncing the Biden-Harris administration for its handling of immigration matters.
In an interview with CBS News following his border inspection, Vance voiced his skepticism towards the actions taken by the current administration. He contested Vice President Harris’s assertion that there had been a decrease in border crossings. According to Vance, the actual figures were being misrepresented, leading to an inaccurate assessment of the situation.
Accusations have been leveled against the administration, accusing them of employing diversionary tactics to skew the statistics on migrant entries. While migrants entering through ports of entry are not violating any laws, this method has been compared to unauthorized crossings, thereby complicating the assessment of the situation along the border.
When queried about initiatives to address the root causes of immigration from South American countries, Vance falsely attributed the responsibility to Vice President Harris, erroneously labeling her as the “border czar.” In reality, Harris has been engaged in diplomatic and private sector ventures aimed at mitigating migration issues, rather than being solely focused on enforcing border controls.
Vance expressed his commitment to bolstering the economies of Central and South American nations to reduce the prevalence of migration to the U.S. He underscored the need for comprehensive strategies that would enable individuals to build stable livelihoods within their home countries, thereby lessening the lure of migrating to the U.S.
The Tucson sector, encompassing Cochise County, recorded more than 250,000 migrant apprehensions in the initial months of 2024, outpacing all other regions monitored by Border Patrol. Vance seized the opportunity to underscore his personal connection to addiction issues, attributing the influx of fentanyl into the U.S. to the Biden-Harris administration’s policies.
Defending his advocacy for completing the border wall, Vance refuted claims that the barriers were disruptive and ineffectual. He emphasized the necessity of enhancing border security, even if it meant causing certain disruptions. Vance argued that the overall benefits of fortifying the border outweighed any potential inconveniences posed by the presence of a wall.
As Vance concluded his border tour, there was apparent collaboration in reporting from contributors like Camilo Montoya-Galvez, Ed O’Keefe, Anne Bryson, and Grace Kazarian. Their insights and contributions have added depth and perspective to the ongoing discourse surrounding immigration policies and border security.
