Kamala Harris has taken a notable turn in her immigration policy by incorporating elements of Donald Trump’s border wall strategy.
At a Glance
- Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has committed to helping Kamala Harris defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
- Harris pledges to spend hundreds of millions on the southern border wall if elected president, despite previously opposing it.
- Harris is adopting a more hawkish immigration stance in response to attacks from Donald Trump’s campaign.
- Trump will visit the U.S.-Mexico border ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris’ keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention.
- Republicans accuse Kamala Harris of policy flip-flop on immigration.
Kamala Harris Adopts Elements of Trump’s Border Wall Strategy in New Immigration Policy Shift
Kamala Harris has adopted several components of Donald Trump’s border wall strategy, marking a significant departure from her previous stance on immigration. Harris, who once criticized the border wall as “un-American” and a “medieval vanity project,” now pledges to spend hundreds of millions to expand it if elected president.
In a bold shift, Harris has expressed support for a bipartisan border security bill that adheres to the standards set during the Trump administration. This decision aligns her more closely with the former president’s policies, which she previously opposed. Her campaign ads depict her as an immigration hardliner, emphasizing her support for Border Patrol agents and robust security measures.
On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country.
I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 21, 2024
Enduring Influence of Trump’s Policies
Harris’s pivot underscores the lasting impact of Trump’s tough immigration policies. Donald Trump, who plans to visit the U.S.-Mexico border soon, aims to highlight what he perceives as Democratic weaknesses on this issue. According to Taylor Rogers, an RNC spokesperson, Trump’s visit intends to demonstrate his commitment to addressing the border crisis.
“While failed border czar Kamala Harris adopts the Biden Basement strategy to hide from the illegal immigrant invasion created by her radical policies, President Trump will be visiting the southern border again. President Trump knows how important the border crisis is to Americans and will once again deliver on his promise to stop the invasion, secure the border, and make America safe,” Taylor Rogers, RNC spokesperson, told Newsweek.
Despite the criticism, Harris’s new stance appears strategic, possibly aimed at mitigating Republican attacks and gaining support among voters who prioritize strong border security. Democrats like Sen. Raphael Warnock have committed to helping Harris defeat Trump in the upcoming election, underscoring the high stakes in their immigration policy battle.
According to past-Kamala Harris, President Trump’s border wall is “irresponsible,” a “waste of taxpayer money,” and “stupid.”
Now she pledges to build it.
She won’t. https://t.co/cwvG2Jpbbz pic.twitter.com/bUFzkLhgfY
— Ron Johnson (@RonJohnsonWI) August 27, 2024
Shift in Policy and Public Reaction
This policy shift comes at a crucial time as Harris seeks to secure her base and expand her appeal to undecided voters. During her bus tour in Georgia, she emphasized her commitment to rural health care and internet access investments, addressing concerns that resonate with small-town voters. With these efforts, Harris is seeing stronger fundraising numbers than Biden, opening doors to influential media markets like Atlanta.
“It requires the Trump border wall,” Lankford told Axios. “It is in the bill itself that it sets the standards that were set during the Trump administration: Here’s where it will be built. Here’s how it has to be built, the height, the type, everything during the Trump construction.”
While this move has drawn criticism from both sides of the political spectrum, Harris’s campaign insists that it represents a pragmatic approach to persistent immigration issues. However, Harris still faces accusations of policy flip-flopping, with Republicans quick to highlight her change of heart as a political maneuver.
