Kamala Harris Visits U.S.-Mexico Border Amid 2024 Campaign Tensions

Vice President Kamala Harris will visit the U.S.-Mexico border at Douglas, Arizona, for the first time in her 2024 presidential campaign. As she advocates for a secure and humane immigration system, her opponent Donald Trump intensifies his criticism. Immigration remains a critical issue for voters.

Vice President Kamala Harris will visit the U.S.-Mexico border for the first time in her 2024 presidential campaign on Friday, as her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, doubles down on the message that immigrants pose a danger to America.

Harris, a Democrat, is visiting Douglas, Arizona, a border town of less than 17,000 people, to propose a more secure and humane immigration system, contrasting sharply with Trump's divisive rhetoric. A Harris campaign aide stated, 'She has long believed we need an immigration system that is secure, fair, orderly, and humane.' Harris plans to discuss the 'toughest bipartisan border security plan in a generation.'

Under Harris and President Joe Biden, the U.S.-Mexico border has seen 7 million arrests for illegal crossings, a record high that Trump has heavily criticized. However, border crossings have decreased significantly since Biden's asylum ban announcement earlier this year. Trump and his running mate JD Vance have intensified their rhetoric, accusing immigrants of committing crimes and stealing jobs. Immigration is a pivotal issue for voters, particularly in Arizona, with its significant Latino population.

On Friday, Trump blamed Harris for the rising trend of irregular migration, stating, 'The architect of this destruction is Kamala Harris.' He questioned her inaction over the past four years. A bipartisan border security bill was recently blocked in the Senate after Trump pressured Republicans. A recent poll shows 43% of voters favor Trump on immigration, while 33% favor Harris.

Harris previously targeted cross-border gangs during her tenure as California's attorney general. She was also tasked with addressing the root causes of Central American migration, a diplomatic issue with mixed results. Growing immigration from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia has caused unease among voters about its impact on the U.S. economy, crime rates, and culture. The share of U.S. residents born abroad has increased significantly from 2010 to 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

(With inputs from agencies.)