In a candid interview on “60 Minutes” which aired on Monday, October 7, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris faced a battery of tough questions from CBS News’ Bill Whitaker about the Biden administration’s shifting stance on border policies. Whitaker questioned Harris on why the administration initially adopted more lenient immigration policies, only to reverse course with stricter measures later on.
Whitaker pointed out that the recent crackdown on asylum seekers led to a significant decrease in border crossings. He then pressed Harris on why the administration waited until now to implement these measures, asking, “If that’s the right answer now, why didn’t your administration take those steps in 2021?”
In response, Harris explained that from the start, the administration sought to address immigration issues through legislative reform. She explained that their initial bill to Congress aimed at reforming the broken immigration system, with the understanding that true solutions would require congressional action. However, the proposal was not considered by Congress.
Whitaker continued to challenge Harris by highlighting a historic rise in undocumented immigrants crossing the border during the first three years of the administration. He acknowledged that the issue did not begin under their leadership, but noted there had been an unprecedented surge in crossings during that period.
Harris addressed his criticism regarding her role in handling the border crisis. She mentioned her support for the bipartisan border security bill that had been proposed by members of the Senate, only to be thwarted, she claimed, by former President Donald Trump. Harris stated, “Donald Trump got word that this bill was afoot and could be passed, and he wants to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem. So he told his buddies in Congress, ‘Kill the bill, don’t let it move forward.’”
On other issues, Harris repeatedly found herself at odds with direct questions, often pivoting away from specifics and offering broad statements in response. Her evasiveness left much to be desired, as viewers saw a vice president who, rather than engaging with the questions at hand, chose to highlight a need for unity and common ground without offering clear solutions.