Minnesota Governor and Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz said Vice President Kamala Harris does not support allowing undocumented immigrants to access government benefits including healthcare, free tuition at state universities, and driver's licenses— an apparent departure from her previous positions on these issues.
Speaking to Fox News, Walz addressed the issue after being questioned about his record as governor. Journalist Shannon Bream referenced a Wall Street Journal article noting that Walz had signed laws permitting undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses, qualify for free tuition, and enroll in the state's healthcare program for low-income residents. Walz then responded: "That's not the vice president's position."
Harris had historically advocated for the inclusion of undocumented immigrants in public services. During her presidential campaign in 2019, she asserted her belief in universal access to public services, stating that she was "opposed to any policy that would deny any human being in our country access to public safety, public education, or public health, period."
As California's attorney general in 2014 and 2015, she played a key role in ensuring access to driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants following a law that permitted such applications.
This position seemingly changed, according to Walz's statement. Harris's campaign did not respond to inquiries about whether she had changed her position or if Walz had misspoken.
Since joining the race, Harris has taken a harder line on several immigration-related issues, including supporting a crackdown on asylum policies at the southern border.
She has also promised to revive a bipartisan border bill that further cracks down on immigration while refraining from supporting her previous commitment to provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. This shift appears aimed at appealing to a broader electorate, reflecting a strategic pivot that some progressives fear may be temporary and not aligned with her earlier promises.
Furthermore, Harris's support for bolstering border security has evolved, endorsing efforts to fill "strategic gaps" in the border wall, a stance that marks a departure from her past opposition to such measures. Recently, she emphasized the need for congressional action and increased border security.
In contrast, former President Donald Trump has vowed to implement stringent crackdowns on undocumented immigrants, including mass deportations of millions of people.
As of now, 25 states and Washington, D.C. allow undocumented immigrants to qualify for in-state tuition, and 19 states, along with D.C., provide access to state financial aid, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal, as reported by Axios.
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