Vice President Kamala Harris is set to make her first visit to the U.S.-Mexico border since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee. She will be in Douglas, Arizona, a town in a battleground state that borders Mexico and faced a surge of asylum seekers last year. Harris's visit comes as former President Donald Trump and Republicans have been criticizing her for the Biden administration's handling of migration.
Immigration and border security are key issues in Arizona, with Trump holding an advantage with voters on these matters. Harris has been working to address these concerns and counter Trump's attacks. She has highlighted the collapse of bipartisan immigration legislation in Congress and the Biden administration's implementation of rules to limit asylum grants when the border is overwhelmed, resulting in a decrease in illegal border crossings.
During her trip, Harris plans to emphasize her past work as California's attorney general in combating crime along the border, particularly targeting drug- and people-smuggling gangs. Her focus on stricter enforcement aims to address the humanitarian crisis at the border and ensure a more orderly process.
The visit to Douglas brings immigration to the forefront less than six weeks before the election, with Trump already criticizing Harris's upcoming remarks. Despite Trump's claims, Harris never held the position of border czar; her role was to address the root causes of migration from Central American nations.
While polls show that most Americans trust Trump more on immigration issues, Harris continues to advocate for long-term solutions to migration challenges. Douglas, a Democratic town in a Republican-dominated county, has a strong connection to its Mexican neighbor and prioritizes both legal border crossings and combatting illegal activities.
Overall, Harris's visit to the border underscores the ongoing debate over immigration policy and border security in the lead-up to the election.
