US Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris recently acknowledged in an interview that the US immigration system is “broken” and in need of significant reform. As the 2024 Presidential elections approach, immigration remains a key issue for both Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump.
In an NBC News report, it was revealed that Harris intends to push for tougher security measures, including the deployment of new fentanyl detection technology and an increase in the number of Border Patrol agents. Additionally, Harris aims to press China to take action against companies involved in producing chemicals used in fentanyl manufacturing.
Stricter Asylum Policies
Harris plans to go beyond the immigration policies set by President Joe Biden. Under Biden’s current regulations, if the average number of illegal border crossings over a seven-day period exceeds 1,500, migrants are restricted from applying for asylum. Harris is pushing for even stricter measures, advocating for a lower threshold to tighten border security.
Since Biden took office, the US has seen a record of 10 million illegal border crossings. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data from April 2024, there were over 179,000 encounters at the Southwest border alone, while total encounters nationwide surpassed 247,000. This represents a nearly 100% increase compared to April 2021.
Harris and Trump Trade Barbs Over Immigration
With the elections nearing, both Harris and Trump have intensified their criticism of each other’s stance on immigration. Harris has taken aim at Trump for blocking a bipartisan border funding deal earlier this year. In an interview with MSNBC, Harris stated, “He killed a bill that would have actually provided a solution because he prefers to campaign on the issue rather than solve it.”
Trump, meanwhile, responded during a news conference at Trump Tower, saying, “She keeps talking about fixing the border, but why didn’t she do it during the past four years?”
