Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio did multiple interviews on Sunday, criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris for not giving any interviews or press conferences since President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid on July 21. In one of these interviews, Vance clashed with ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl when he accused Harris of not being the “border czar.”
Karl stated, “You know she’s not actually – she wasn’t the border czar, was she?” To which Vance replied, “Oh, that was what the media called her, she assumed the title.” Vance continued, “She had control over a lot of our border policy at a time when they were suspending deportations, let me finish, John. The time they were suspending deportations, they stopped Donald Trump’s remain in Mexico policy, and they re-instituted catch and release.”
The former President’s remain in Mexico policy was a key element of his immigration policy, which required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases were being processed. This policy was implemented to control the influx of illegal immigration across the southern border. However, President Biden suspended this policy upon taking office, along with other changes to immigration policies.
Vance argued that Harris had a significant role in these changes and referred to her as the “border czar.” He cited the surge in illegal immigration and the increase in drug trafficking, specifically fentanyl, as evidence of Harris’ failure in handling the situation.
CBP recently reported that Border Patrol had encountered nearly 7.3 million illegal immigrants since the start of fiscal year 2021, a significant increase from the previous year. When Karl questioned how the government would deport the estimated 10 to 15 million illegal immigrants currently living in the United States, Vance responded, “The first thing you have to do is to stop the bleeding, stop the open border, get Kamala Harris out of there and actually re-implement the remain in Mexico policy, rebuild or finish Donald Trump’s border wall.”
Karl then pressed whether the government would go “door-to-door,” requesting papers from illegal immigrants, to which Vance replied, “This is the wrong attitude towards it. There are 20 million people here illegally, and you start with what’s achievable.”
Vance proposed a sequential approach to tackle the issue, starting with deporting violent criminals and making it harder for businesses to hire illegal labor. He also stressed the importance of securing the border, finishing the border wall, and implementing strict immigration policies to deter illegal immigration.
Vance criticized Harris for her role in the surge of illegal immigration and the increase in drug trafficking at the southern border. He argued that the government must take a sequential approach and prioritize securing the border, deporting violent criminals, and making it harder for businesses to hire illegal labor. He also emphasized that maintaining a strict immigration policy is crucial to controlling the problem of illegal immigration.