During a campaign trip across Nevada and Arizona that spanned three days, JD Vance, the Republican candidate for vice president, repeatedly placed blame on Vice President Harris for the Biden administration’s perceived shortcomings in border security.
On Tuesday, Vance began his tour in Henderson, Nev. and concluded with a brief visit to the border in Cochise County, Ariz. Throughout his tour, Vance consistently pointed fingers at Harris, holding her accountable for the unprecedented levels of border crossings that have taken place during the Biden administration.
During a speech at Liberty High School in Henderson, Vance declared that all the failures of the Biden administration in the past four years belong to Kamala Harris.
Soon after being appointed as Vice President, President Biden tasked Harris with identifying solutions to the underlying reasons for migration from Northern Triangle countries. However, Republicans labeled her as a “border czar” and criticized her for not doing enough to stem the frequent influxes of migrants.
During a rally in the west valley suburbs of Phoenix last night and while meeting with border patrol officials and the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office south of Sierra Vista, Arizona, Vance reiterated his attack strategy.
“On Thursday morning, Vance expressed disbelief in the policies of the Kamala Harris administration regarding the southern border, stating that one must witness the situation firsthand to truly comprehend its severity,” Vance said.
During Thursday’s campaign, Vance repeatedly used the phrase “the Harris administration” as a way for the Trump campaign to shift the focus onto Kamala Harris, who is now the leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Vance made a commitment to bring back Trump-era immigration policies, such as “Remain in Mexico” and deportations, during his meeting with Paul Perez, the president of the Border Patrol union. He also praised Trump’s plan to resume the construction of the border wall and highlighted the materials left unused on the U.S. side of the fence in Cochise County.
According to Vance, the Biden administration has left border patrol agents feeling frustrated and angry because they are not being allowed to carry out their duties effectively. Vance stated that these agents are “enraged” by this situation.
Perez expressed confidence that the current state of affairs can be resolved. According to him, there is a playbook in place, which was previously in the possession of President Trump and is still accessible. He believes that by following the playbook, the situation can be rectified.
Republicans view immigration as a key issue, especially in border areas such as those in Cochise County. The Trump campaign is banking on this issue to have an impact in swing states like Arizona and Nevada.
As Vance’s trip to the border drew near on Thursday, three Arizona border officials who had previously endorsed Harris criticized the Republicans for neglecting a bipartisan border agreement earlier this year, which was scrapped after Trump urged lawmakers to do so. It is worth noting that Biden had previously expressed his support for the bill and Harris had also promised to sign it if elected.
Ann English, a Cochise County Supervisor, expressed her disappointment with Trump and Republicans for obstructing efforts to strengthen border security. She asserted that this was unjust to the people of Arizona. On the other hand, she applauded Vice President Kamala Harris for her understanding of the challenges faced by border communities and her commitment to collaborating with state and local authorities to address the pressing issue of our broken border crisis.
As a means of countering negative feedback towards the Biden administration’s border policies, Vice President Harris has emphasized her background as a prosecutor. Prior to her current role as Vice President and her previous position as a U.S. Senator, Harris served as California’s Attorney General.
Upon taking office as attorney general in 2011, Harris embarked on her inaugural trip, which involved exploring a drug-smuggling tunnel along the California-Mexico border in Imperial County. Recently, during a rally in Georgia, Harris portrayed herself as a tenacious prosecutor who relentlessly pursued transnational gangs and drug cartels.