Vice President Kamala Harris appears to be trying to out-Trump former President Donald Trump on the border, arguing for harsher immigration policies in an about-face from her previous stance on the issue.
Harris said if she wins, she’ll restrict asylum claims and seek felony charges for illegal border crossings. She also says she will continue to build the border wall that was begun under the Trump administration.
A recent campaign ad says "We need a leader with a real plan to fix the border. And that's Kamala Harris." She had previously criticized Trump’s strict border policies.
Some Democrats are frustrated by Harris’ new stance, feeling it mirrors policies they opposed under Trump, particularly on the subject of asylum.
Andrea Flores, a former Biden administration official, voiced concerns the administration is leaning too heavily on restrictions that don’t offer lasting solutions. Flores said, "The fact that [the Biden administration] had to amend their latest asylum restriction after three months shows that this is the wrong approach. We don't have to choose between a functional asylum system and a secure border."
Harris argues her policies are different from Trump’s because they provide more legal pathways for certain populations to seek asylum. But critics say these programs can potentially leave many migrants in limbo without a clear path to citizenship.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to promise even stricter measures if re-elected, including mass deportations and potential military action at the border.