Vice President Kamala Harris has faced rigorous criticism from Republicans, who hold her accountable for the increasing migrant influx into the U.S. over recent years. She was seen touring El Paso, Texas, close to the Mexican border, in 2021. It’s worth noting this visit came only after considerable resistance, even though she was assigned a migration-related portfolio, a clear sign of her negligence.
The prominent narrative against Harris within the Republicans concentrates on her role in the Biden administration’s lackluster border and immigration policies. They directly associate the escalating wave of migrants with her input, or lack thereof. The administration would serve us an elaborate narrative of nuanced involvement; however, reality, as experienced by the American people tells a different story.
While the Trump campaign’s ad suggested that she was ‘border czar,’ or exclusively responsible for the rules governing the U.S.-Mexico border, Biden did not assign her that role. Howbeit, Harris was indeed integral in preventing the global migration surge from worsening. An achievement that appears less noteworthy when considering the record migration wave witnessed during the administration’s initial years.
Under Biden and Harris, the southern border experienced record numbers of migrants, followed by a drop to the lowest levels. However, these numbers were still grossly high, casting doubts over the effectiveness of their strategies. Despite the Democrats’ lenient attitude, the early efforts of the administration themed as clumsy, counterproductive, and lacking strong leadership, earned criticism even from within their camps.
Harris was also tasked with bridging the gap between business moguls and the economies of Central American countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. While these actions did bring about some positive changes, they were nonetheless underwhelming in grappling with the vast economic disparity between the U.S and Central America.
The Vice President was seen encouraging a Japan-based auto parts plant and a Swiss coffee company to invest and increase procurement in Central America. They claimed to have amassed over $5 billion in private and public funds, with the alleged creation 30,000 jobs and a promise of another 60,000 in the pipeline. Some might find these figures impressive, but they seem almost trivial considering the scale of the immigration crisis.
Critics argue that Harris’s fixation on the ‘Northern Triangle’ countries – Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador was misguided. These countries were indeed the source of most migrants during the Obama and Trump administrations. However, under Biden and Harris, although migration from these countries remained relatively stable, there has been a significant surge from places such as Haiti, Venezuela, and Cuba.
Recent data from the Wilson Center reveals that in the fiscal year 2023, the Northern Triangle countries accounted for approximately only 500,700 of the 2.5 million crossings at the southwest border. To experts familiar with migration, this statistic only further cemented the assertion that Biden and Harris did not properly assess the migration issue before rushing to implement their unfruitful strategies.
Biden, during his vice presidency, was tasked with addressing economic problems in Central America. However, decades later, the problems remain the same: economic hardships, criminal groups taking advantage of weak law enforcement and power vacuum, and a constant flow of migrants – including many unaccompanied minors – attempting the dangerous journey north.
When Biden passed on the migration portfolio to Harris, her allies expressed concerns about the intractability of the mission. The Vice President had a rough start with her infamous trip to Guatemala City in 2021. There she managed to upset progressives and immigration advocates alike with her assertive missive to the migrants: ‘Do not come.’ She also received flak from the Republicans for downplaying questions of border visits.
Harris’s misplaced attempts to segregate her role from the escalating crisis at the border did not sit well with voters across party lines. Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas postulated that her assignment was intimately linked to the border situation, despite she wasn’t a ‘border czar’.
Some claimed Harris’s contributions, such as orchestrating investments in Central America, were pivotal. But were these efforts sufficient? Neither her perceived interest in Mexican artworks during her Mexico City visit nor her stern words for Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei could muster a substantive impact on the cause of migration.
The Vice President insisted on pushing schemes that allowed potential migrants to apply for U.S. refuge within their home countries—an attempt to deal with the symptoms rather than address the root causes of migration. Clearly, we aren’t going to resolve centuries of historical issues in one term, but we expected better direction and progress under her leadership.
In conclusion, Kamala Harris’s handling of the migration crisis has been marked by missed opportunities, muddled strategies, and a perceived detachment from the pressing problems at hand. Amidst all criticisms and shortcomings, and despite the Biden administration’s attempts to paint an alternative narrative, the situation on the ground stands testament to their failed leadership.
Harris and Biden’s Muddled Approach Exacerbates Migration Crisis appeared first on Real News Now.
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