In a powerful address in Arizona on Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris turned up the heat on former President Donald Trump, directly holding him accountable for sabotaging a crucial border security bill.
Harris didn’t hold back as she criticized Trump’s reckless rhetoric, stating that transnational gangs exploiting the border crisis don’t care about political affiliations.
“Transnational gangs coming across the border — trafficking in guns, drugs and human beings — could care less who somebody voted for in the last election,” she declared. “They’ve got one goal in mind, and it is therefore critically important that anybody who calls themselves a leader would work with other leaders for common sense solutions.”
She vowed to take decisive action, contrasting the hollow promises of her opponent with a commitment to real solutions. “And that means, again, working together in real time, grounded on finding common sense approaches,” she emphasized. “Not just about some rhetoric at a rally, but actually doing the work of fixing a problem.”
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This marked a significant pivot for Harris, who is determined to close the gap with Trump on immigration by adopting a more aggressive stance on border security.
Harris ramped up her attacks, pledging to “bring back the border security bill that Donald Trump tanked” if she wins the presidency.
“I will do more to secure our border. To reduce illegal border crossings, I will take further action to keep the border closed between ports of entry,” she asserted. “Those who cross our borders unlawfully will be apprehended and removed and barred from re-entering for five years. We will pursue more severe criminal charges against repeat violators, and if someone does not make an asylum request at a legal point of entry, and instead crosses our border unlawfully, they will be barred from receiving asylum.”
A bipartisan border security bill crumbled earlier this year after Trump urged GOP lawmakers to oppose it, revealing the detrimental impact of his influence.
As anti-immigration sentiment rises among voters, Trump and his allies have relentlessly driven this narrative on the campaign trail. At a recent rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, Trump proclaimed, “I am your border president, your border president. Kamala would be your invasion president.”
Polls indicate that despite Harris’s efforts, Trump still dominates the immigration conversation, with a recent New York Times/Siena College survey showing many voters trust him more on border issues. However, Harris’s team believes her bold stance during the Arizona visit may help mitigate her longstanding political vulnerabilities and sway public opinion.
