(Editor's Note: The following opinion column does not represent an endorsement for any political party or candidate, on the part of Newsmax.)
Thanks to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, our nation's southern border is beyond unprotected and vulnerable.
But the border isn't the only way she's compromised our national security.
Since taking over one of the most vital aspects of our national security as President Joe Biden's purported "border czar," Harris has allowed millions-plus illegal immigrants to swarm our borders.
Our homeland and innocent American citizens are beyond being at risk.
Former President Donald J. Trump recently shined a much needed spotlight on the human misery inflicted by Harris's dereliction of duty with a press conference at the border.
Present were families of Americans who lost loved ones to violence committed by illegal immigrants. Immigrants Harris allowed to roam free.
While it's both necessary and crucial to acknowledge the Dangers of Harris's open border policies, we must not overlook the concurrent deluge of illegal goods entering the US.
Products made by slave labor in China, entering our country; all occurring under Team Biden's "watch."
China has enslaved Uyghurs, Chinese Christians, as well as political dissidents for decades, because of their beliefs.
Those creeds do not align with the Communist Party's beliefs and narratives, which take the form of what's found in Karl Marx's "Communist Manifesto."
While ideology certainly drives their actions, so too does the knowledge that slavery is profitable for China's communist government, with the bulk of such profit making its way into the U.S. market.
Some Chinese companies inundate the American apparel industry with goods made for pennies on the dollar that "Made in America" brands simply can't compete with.
Meanwhile, other companies making their goods here and in other nations pay their workers a living wage, treat them with respect, as well as provide benefits allowing them to live with both security and dignity.
China, on the other hand, forces its workers to work long hours, in miserable conditions, with little to no reprieve.
With slaves at the sewing stations, it's a no-brainer that these brands can sell t-shirts and dresses for less than the price of a pack of cigarettes at the gas station.
There are laws on the books that ban the import of any goods that are the products of forced labor.
However, President Biden, Vice President Harris, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas have abdicated their duty to uphold these laws, rendering them trashed and violated — en masse. Donald Trump posses values, inclusive of maintaining our nation's borders, and respect for the rule of law.
If he wins in November, he will restore law and order to our now fluid border.
You can also count on him to put China on notice that Americans' will no longer tolerate their seemingly exploitative and illegal trade practices.
During the first 100 days of second Trump administration, he could add some serious teeth to the Uyghur Forced Labor Act that has been defanged by the Biden-Harris administration. As an example, he could actual enforcement of laws which prevent slave-labor cotton from entering our markets.
How so?
By requiring DHS and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to test materials entering from overseas in an effort to accurately determine their point of origin. This, versus taking companies at their word.
Mr. Trump could also properly levy targeted tariffs on good from China. Goods which only serv to undermine U.S. companies, as well as the jobs that come with them, by violating trade laws.
Most importantly, we must prosecute those companies colluding with Chinese lawbreakers to pad their own profits, doing so at the expense of our American economy.
Absent such incentives, there will be no urgency to enact much needed changes in course in this regard.
It's no secret that over the past few decades, America’s manufacturing base has been devastated by offshoring jobs to China, and other nations, where materials can be made for a fraction of the cost.
If we're genuinely serious about rebuilding our working and middle classes — to ensure that American dollars remain in American hands — we need an economic agenda rooted in a strong border security policy and a highly structured framework.
Only once they know they are protected from unfair competition, American brands rebuild, and expand manufacturing plants, textile facilities, and other forms of support for our nation's supply chain.
Our nation’s 45th president engaged in repeated efforts to restore America's manufacturing primacy. Those efforts have been relegated to the back seat, all thanks to Democrats.
With a Republican victory on Nov. 5, 2024, we can secure our borders against both illegal immigration and illegal importation, and turn the tide back towards the American worker, inclusive of law-abiding citizens.
Bernard B. Kerik was the 40th Police Commissioner of the New York City Police Department and is a New York Times bestselling author. Read Bernard Kerik's Reports — More Here.
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