Vice President Kamala Harris visited the southern U.S. border in September, addressing the hot-button issue of immigration. She plans to propose tougher security measures, including new fentanyl detection machines and more Border Patrol agents, and will call on China to crack down on companies producing precursor chemicals for fentanyl. Harris also intends to tighten asylum restrictions beyond President Biden’s executive actions, implementing stronger emergency authorities and a lower average of illegal border crossings for restrictions to kick in. Despite the Biden administration facing a record 10 million illegal border crossings, crossings have dropped since the new asylum restrictions were put in place. Harris has been attacking former President Trump over his border policies and failure to address immigration issues, while Trump has criticized her for not addressing border issues earlier. The debate over immigration is critical in battleground states like Arizona, where residents have differing views on the effectiveness of border policies. Despite frustrations with the heated rhetoric, some residents are disappointed in Biden’s approach to border policies and feel that immigrants are being used for political gain. Harris’ visit to the border and proposed changes to immigration policies are being met with skepticism and criticism from some residents, who believe she wants an open border.
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Harris heads to the front lines with immigration issues weighing on her candidacy
