Republicans have strategically painted Kamala Harris, the Vice President, with the brush of failure for the misguided immigration policies of the Biden administration. Despite her desperate attempts to shake this perception, Harris faces an uphill battle to regain credibility with the public. To mitigate the damage, she has recently made proclamations of bolstering border security. How authentic these promises are, however, remains unclear, given her record aligning ideologically with progressive stances such as non-criminalising illegal border crossings.
Struggling to mount a defence, Harris strikes back at former President Donald Trump for sabotaging a bipartisan border deal. In an amusing shift, her campaign is now eager to distance her from advocating lenient immigration practices she once endorsed during her quest for the Democratic nomination in 2019. ‘I was the attorney general of a border state,’ she declared at an Arizona rally, tying herself to the firm yet fair immigration policies she had once opposed.
In a desperate attempt to gain public trust, Harris released a television ad targeting battleground states, promising robust measures against border crimes. Noticeably absent from the ad was the touchy subject of undocumented immigrants residing in the United States, which was an important issue for progressives and immigration activists but might potentially alienate voters demanding stricter immigration control.
Harris’s tough-on-border stance, reminiscent of Bill Clinton’s policies, is a bid to catch up with the growing public support for stricter immigration measures. It also reflects the changing sentiments among Democrats and Latino voters in the post-Trump era. Such a shift, however, does little to absolve her of responsibility for the torrent of migrants that overwhelmed border resources under the Biden administration.
The recent dip in border crossings following Biden’s executive order can hardly veil the administration’s earlier blunders. The lingering question is whether Harris’s belated efforts to recast herself as an immigration hardliner would register with voters or come across as ineffectual damage control. Although Biden was quick to assign her a minimised role in dealing with the ‘root causes of migration,’ the Republican narrative perceives her as an embodiment of the administration’s failures.
Senior Trump campaign officials view Harris’s immigration record as one of her major shortcomings and strive to underscore her central role in shaping the ill-conceived policies of the Biden administration. Ridiculing her as the ‘border czar,’ far beyond the scope of her assigned duties, their narrative proved compelling against the backdrop of border crisis misery.
Democratic polls reveal even their own camp acknowledges the vulnerability of Harris’s track record on immigration. Blueprint, a Democratic group, tested potential attacks on Harris and found, rather distressingly, that immigration-related allegations resonated the most with the public, overshadowing economic or inflation issues. Public trust in Trump’s ability to handle border matters outweighs that in Harris’s, casting her as a less-than-reliable figure.
It remains uncertain whether Harris’s attempts to counter Republican criticisms will bear fruit. Her allies argue that if she could succeed in neutralizing this damaging narrative around immigration, she could persuade voters on more partisan topics such as abortion, however, the ground reality suggests a tough fight ahead.
Attempting to spin Harris’s image, her campaign emphasizes her stint as a former ‘border-state prosecutor’. This narrative starkly contrasts with her position during the 2020 Democratic primary when she backed public healthcare for illegal immigrants. Is this an image makeover or an evasion of her earlier political stance is an important question that voters should ask.
Trump, seizing the opportunity, has come down heavily on Harris, condemning the lax immigration policies that he alleges have allowed criminal migrants to threaten American safety. His harsh rhetoric resonates powerfully in light of the rampant border crisis, impelling many to question the administration’s commitment to their safety and security.
Even Republicans with institutional experience, like Chris DeRose from Arizona, cast doubt on Harris’s overtures to immigration reform. Given her affiliation with the Biden administration and their reputation for weak border security, Harris will need to convince a skeptical public, a task proving to be quite difficult.
Interestingly enough, Harris and her allies have tried to deflect the blame onto Trump’s immigration record. They highlight the instance where Trump influenced Senate Republicans to reject a restrictive immigration bill proposed by Biden and Harris. Whether this strategy of shifting blame will be successful or will only expose the administration’s poor decisions further remains to be seen.
Harris’s campaign advisor in Arizona notes how tougher immigration messages have previously swayed state elections in favor of the Democrats. Yet, as voters demand non-political, straightforward solutions to fix the broken immigration system, a hardened posture without due action might not suffice.
An enlightening case study involves Democrat Tom Suozzi’s victory in a competitive New York House race, an outcome credited to a tough stance on immigration and strong reproach of Trump over the derailed border deal. Suozzi’s realism regarding voter apprehensions over the influx of migrants laid the groundwork for his victory.
Harris’s aides attribute her centrist tint to her vice-presidential experience, noting a strategic shift from previously progressive immigration positions. But does this mean that Harris truly values stricter immigration control, or is she merely bending to the political pressure her position demands?
The narrative shift among Democrats illustrates an attempt to balance calls for border security alongside a plan for residency and citizenship for undocumented immigrants. This precarious balancing act seems largely influenced by the evolving Latino electorate. Yet, as they navigate these changes, can they assure voters they won’t compromise on border security in pursuit of wider reform? Only time will tell.
Harris’s Immigration Measure: Genuine Intention or Political Stunt? appeared first on Real News Now.