At this point, it seems unlikely that Vice President Kamala Harris will come within even a mile of the southern border. After being tapped by President Joe Biden as the administration’s border czar, Harris appears to have taken a “hands-off” approach to the migrant crisis, which has been worsening since shortly after Biden took office. When observing her seeming avoidance of the issue, one has to wonder whether this mishandling of the matter is deliberate, the result of ineptitude, or both.
Harris Keeps Border at Arm’s Length
Kamala Harris
The VP has been criticized for appearing to try to avoid the issue she was appointed to address. A high-ranking official in a border state recently called for her removal as border czar due to her apparent inaction.
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich wrote a letter to President Biden asking him to replace Harris, claiming that she is not equipped to handle the migrant crisis. He criticized the vice president for traveling to other states for “less-pressing matters” while neither she nor Biden have made visits to Arizona or any other border states to witness in person the growing number of migrants and unaccompanied minors.
“Mr. President, we cannot afford another day, week or month of apathy and inaction by any official in your administration charged with upholding our federal immigration laws and ensuring public safety,” Brnovich wrote.
The attorney general stated that the lack of support from the White House is “shameful.” He indicated that in April, he sent a letter to Harris inviting her to come to Arizona to personally view the situation unfolding. “However, to date, her response to the border crisis has been totally abysmal, so I am requesting that she be replaced as your ‘border czar,’“ he wrote.
The Washington Times reported:
“As migrant numbers rose in the early days of his administration Mr. Biden tapped Ms. Harris to help figure out the border. But the White House quickly made clear they say her role is limited to foreign diplomacy with countries that migrants flee or cross, not to the actual border itself.”
Republicans slammed the president for appearing to give Harris a cop-out. They argued that this move was nothing more than a deflection to give the administration cover for failing to handle the crisis. Newsweek noted:
“The White House has struggled to make clear which problems Harris would tackle and which are outside of her domain. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also shut down ideas that the vice president is in charge of the current migrant situation, saying she is only focused on the root causes – a distinction that has only furthered confusion over what the policy role entails.”
Will the Migrant Crisis Ever be Addressed?
As of this writing, it has been 52 days since Harris was appointed as border czar, and she has still not taken a trip to the border. Even if her actual role was to deal with the “root causes” of the crisis, a visit to the border is still warranted. Moreover, the White House seems to be neglecting Border Patrol agents, who are becoming overwhelmed with the skyrocketing number of migrants attempting to gain entry into the United States.
So, is this situation yet another example of the Biden administration’s incompetence? It could certainly be read that way. After the president took office, he rescinded most of former President Donald Trump’s executive orders that curbed the flow of migrants to the border. During the campaign and even after becoming president, Biden vigorously touted his open borders agenda, essentially sending the message that if migrants wished to gain entry into the United States, they would be greeted with a red carpet after making the dangerous trek through Central America.
Still, it is also possible that the surge at the southern border is precisely what the Biden administration wanted. He is already pushing for a pathway to citizenship for more than 11 million illegal immigrants currently residing in the U.S. Moreover, he attempted to place a moratorium on deportations to protect those who entered the country in violation of immigration laws.
The president almost appears to be welcoming as many illegal immigrants as possible. Right now, the nation has returned to the “catch and release” policies of previous administrations, which would lend credibility to the notion that Biden wishes to increase legal and illegal immigration. Either way, when it comes to dealing with the migrant crisis, it is dreadfully apparent that this administration is not up to the task.
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Read more from Jeff Charles.
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