Vice President Kamala Harris is facing criticism for using images of the border wall built under former President Donald Trump’s administration in her latest campaign advertisements. The inclusion of these images has sparked a debate about her views on immigration and border security, considering her past denouncement of the wall.
On Wednesday, September 4, 2024, CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront segment underscored the disparity between Harris’ previous statements and her current campaign strategy. Andrew Kaczynski, CNN’s KFile senior editor, noted 50 instances where Harris had criticized Trump’s border wall, making her recent utilization of it in political materials particularly striking.
In her 2019 publication, “The Truths We Hold,” Harris severely criticized the border wall. She expressed that the wall was not only pointless but also served as a symbol standing against the foundational values of the United States. According to Harris, the wall symbolically broadcasts the message, “KEEP OUT.”
At a public gathering in 2019, Harris referred to the border wall as a “vanity project” and accused Trump of creating a faux national crisis around it. She persistently depicted the wall as a wasteful use of taxpayer funds and an ineffective response to concerns about border security.
Despite this, Harris’ recent campaign ad showcases a segment of the same wall she previously denounced. Kaczynski highlighted that the part of the wall featured in the ad was erected during Trump’s presidency.
Harris’ altered stance seems indicative of her broader shift in approach toward immigration policy. As vice president, Harris has taken a more moderate view on border security, including support for enhanced border security measures and policies that make seeking asylum more challenging for migrants. This is a significant departure from her initial commitments to “honor the process” of asylum and safeguard vulnerable migrants.
The Biden administration has persevered with some construction of the border wall and enacted policies that limit asylum. Harris has not yet made a public statement about these actions, which appear to be at odds with her prior positions.
This apparent reversal in Harris’ stance has drawn attention from political adversaries. The Trump campaign has capitalized on the situation, with former senior advisor Jason Miller characterizing Harris’ change of stance as “total bulls—.”
Still, it’s worth noting that Harris has not formally announced a change in her position on the border wall. The dispute primarily stems from her campaign’s choice of visuals and her backing of a bipartisan border security bill that included a clause for using some funds previously allocated for the border wall during the Trump administration.
The bill, which was unsuccessful in the Senate, was a compromise that encompassed various measures for border security beyond funding for the wall. It also suggested provisions for additional asylum lawyers and judges, and the power to close the border if migrant crossings surpassed a certain limit.
The Harris campaign has depicted her as a “border state prosecutor” and emphasized her support for increasing the number of Border Patrol agents. This repositioning of Harris’ stance on border issues reflects the evolving political discourse on immigration, significantly influenced by Trump’s policies.
With the 2024 election on the horizon, Harris’ use of border wall imagery in her campaign ads seems to be an attempt to fortify her image on border security issues. However, this strategy has exposed her to criticism from both political spectrums.