Democrats at DNC Attempt to Reverse the Narrative on its Immigration Record

[Social Media]

 

During a week intended to celebrate the successes of the Democratic Party, Democrats sought to confront and reframe one of their most significant political vulnerabilities: immigration. At the Democratic National Convention (DNC), speakers attempted to reverse the narrative on Republican criticisms of the Biden administration’s immigration record, commending the administration’s efforts and portraying Vice President Kamala Harris as "tough as nails" on the issue.

 

Republican leaders, including former President Donald Trump, have consistently focused their attacks on the Biden administration's handling of the border. They have particularly targeted Vice President Harris, labeling her as a "failed border czar" due to her role in managing the immigration crisis. While the Biden administration did witness record numbers of migrant detentions at the border, recent data shows that the number of unlawful crossings has decreased for five consecutive months. Democrats have attributed this decline to the administration’s recent actions to curb illegal immigration, including an executive order signed by President Joe Biden in June that empowers U.S. immigration officials to deport migrants without processing their asylum claims.

 

A recent poll conducted by CBS, the BBC’s U.S. partner, revealed that 48% of likely voters believe that border crossings will increase if Kamala Harris becomes president. In contrast, a significant 72% of respondents said they believe crossings would decrease under a Trump administration. This issue took center stage at the DNC, where several speakers defended Harris's record and criticized Trump for obstructing a bipartisan border security deal that failed to pass in Congress earlier this year.

 

“Let’s be clear, the border is broken,” stated New York Congressman Tom Suozzi, who has been a vocal advocate for stricter border security and more rigorous asylum laws. Suozzi’s remarks echoed a sentiment often expressed by Republicans who have criticized Biden's immigration policies. His comments, along with those of other Democrats, indicated a shift in the party's messaging toward a tougher stance on immigration—an issue historically seen as a political weakness for them.

 

Suozzi further praised Harris, stating that she "joyfully accepts the challenge to work across party lines, to secure our border, to treat people like human beings." The Trump campaign has relentlessly attacked Harris for her role in shaping the administration’s immigration policy, branding her as an ineffective "border czar." As Vice President, one of Harris’s initial diplomatic assignments was to address the economic conditions in Central America that were driving a surge of migrants to the U.S.-Mexico border.

 

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, who led the Democratic efforts to negotiate the failed border security measure in Congress, lauded Harris as being "tough as nails" on illegal immigration. He refuted Republican accusations that Harris had "opened the border" to unchecked migration. "Kamala Harris knows we can be a nation of immigrants and immigration laws," Murphy said. "That's why, when she's president, she will bring that border bill back, and she'll pass it."

 

Murphy placed the blame for the country’s immigration issues squarely on Trump, accusing him of sabotaging the border security bill to maintain his political leverage. "Trump killed that bill because he knew if we fixed the border, he'd lose his ability to divide us, his ability to fan the flames of fear about people who come from different places," Murphy asserted. His sentiments were echoed by California Representative Pete Aguilar, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, who emphasized that voters should not have to "choose between a secure border and building an America for all." Aguilar added, "Under President Harris, we can and will do both."

 

The DNC also showcased a video that highlighted the stricter border policies proposed in the failed bill, which would have provided funding for new border agents and technologies aimed at combating fentanyl trafficking. However, on the convention floor, some delegates expressed skepticism about the importance of immigration as an electoral issue, suggesting that many voters are more concerned with day-to-day challenges, despite polling data consistently indicating that immigration remains a top concern for many Americans.

 

"Immigration is certainly an important issue," said Julie Johnson, a Texas delegate, state representative, and candidate for the House of Representatives in Washington. "But other people’s immigration does not affect whether they can go see a doctor, afford a home, or whether they have a good-paying job."

 

Others were more cautious in their assessment. Illinois Democratic Representative Jonathan Jackson, the son of famed civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, told the BBC that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done. He expressed hope that Harris would take immediate action on immigration if she were to win the presidency. "We’re going to have to deal with these migrant issues," Jackson stated, noting that economically depressed communities of color often bear the brunt of migrant influxes. "People don’t like to leave their dwellings without clothes or water or cash. But if the conditions are unbearable, they have to leave. I think she has to deal with [it on] day one," he added.

 

In Chicago, a city that has received tens of thousands of migrants over the last two years, residents voiced mixed feelings. While many expressed sympathy for the migrants, there were also concerns about the strain on local resources. Naaman Martin, an elderly Chicago resident who plans to vote for Harris, acknowledged the government’s efforts to support migrants, saying, "They [the government] provided food, they provided housing, provided clothing. But for the homeless, they claim they can’t do nothing. It is what it is. It is not a voting issue for me."

 

Alexandra Willis, a 29-year-old store owner and Harris supporter, shared her perspective, expressing empathy for the migrants while also lamenting the lack of legal pathways for them. "They made it all the way here from another country," she said. "They’re very talented. I’d hire them, but legally I can’t."

 

For the migrants themselves, the ongoing political debate over immigration has been a source of frustration. As the DNC unfolded, several dozen predominantly Venezuelan migrants gathered at a shelter just a few miles away, waiting for volunteers to distribute donated snacks. Although they were only vaguely aware of the convention taking place, they were acutely familiar with the debates surrounding immigration, the border, and the portrayal of "migrant crime" in U.S. politics.

 

Yelitza, a Venezuelan mother of four who fled her country after one of her sons was killed during a protest, expressed her frustration with the way migrants are often demonized by politicians. "The trip was extremely hard. The jungle. Criminals in Mexico. Cartel members wanted to rape my niece. I did the trip with four little kids," she said. "We’re not here because we like it, or because I want to. Everyone needs to understand that. My country is in a disastrous situation. We only came here to give our children a future."

 

Credit: BBC  2024-08-23

 

 

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[mdr224]

Too late for that isnt it? Sort of well known that democrats want to turn America into europe

[thaipo7]

What is this BS, "Democrats at DNC Attempt to Reverse the Narrative on its Immigration Record".  WTF, the Democrats have owned it the last 3 1/2 years.  It was OK at the time to bring in illegals for voting purposes.  Now they want to reverse the narrative.  Anyone that buys this is in need of mental help.

[RichardColeman]

I'm actually surprised that the democrats are not asking that a new addition be added to the Bible of Harris opening the borders of the USA like Moses, to lead those in need of the entire world to the promised land

[JonnyF]

Too late.

 

They have been a massive failure and everyone can see it. 

[thesetat2013]

2 hours ago, thaipo7 said:

What is this BS, "Democrats at DNC Attempt to Reverse the Narrative on its Immigration Record".  WTF, the Democrats have owned it the last 3 1/2 years.  It was OK at the time to bring in illegals for voting purposes.  Now they want to reverse the narrative.  Anyone that buys this is in need of mental help.

They have to say something will change. Otherwise they will lose millions of votes come election time. It does not matter if there is any truth to it. Most people know and see Harris was ultimately responsible for allowing the illegal situation to happen. Her turn coating now to make claims for changes is too late. She had years to have her say or do anything about the building problem with the migrants entering the US illegally. Oh wait, she never really did anything as the VP except giggle and smile when she did not know how to reply or what to say. It will be an interesting year if she wins the election. Sad times for america though. I am happy I am too old now to fight when WW3 breaks out. The US will be history then being lost from within the country as well as from outside attacks. 

[spidermike007]

They should be attacking Trump's plans for tariffs. Those will be a disaster. 

 

Several studies have examined the cost of the Section 301 tariffs on the U.S. economy. For example, economists Mary Amiti, Stephen J. Redding, and David Weinstein showed that by the end of the first year that the tariffs were in place, U.S. real income declined by $1.4 billion per month. More recently, trade analysts Tori Smith and Tom Lee from the American Action Forum found that U.S. consumers largely bore the brunt of the tariffs, paying a total of $48 billion—with half of this figure paid by U.S. firms that rely on intermediate inputs from China. A recent report by the United States International Trade Commission agreed that the cost of the tariffs was passed through to U.S. importers. Back in 2019, President Biden also agreed, stating, “Trump doesn’t get the basics. He thinks his tariffs are paid for by China. Any beginning econ student at Iowa or Iowa State could tell you the American people are paying his tariffs.”

The evidence is clear—the Trump tariffs have failed and the costs on the U.S. economy continue to pile up.

 

https://www.cfr.org/blog/cost-trumps-trade-war-china-still-adding

 

Key policies that undergird so-called Trumponomics — a combination of tariffs, tax cuts and a crackdown on immigration — are likely to cause a flare-up in inflation, according to many Wall Street economists. That would be a painful outcome for consumers and businesses sapped by more than two years of surging prices. More broadly, renewed inflationary pressures would also come.

 

If consumers "are upset now, they will be hopping mad a year from now" about inflation if Trump wins and enacts his policies, Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics and co-author of a June report on the macroeconomic impacts of either a Trump or Biden win in November, told CBS MoneyWatch.

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-economy-inflation-tariffs-tax-cuts-immigration/

[retarius]

Yes propaganda can deny 8 million illegal immigrants and that Harris was proclaimed in the media as a border czar who would cut the number of illegals. She did a pitiful job and never went near the border. Ultimately the appeal of Harris is nothing to do with competence, it is all to do with flashy PR and propaganda campaigns and people knowing absolutely nothing about her. I, for one, am hoping that DJT's campaign will dig up the dirt on Harris/Walz, real or imagined and proclaim it from the rooftops. Harris, incompetence is her middle name. 

[300sd]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

They should be attacking Trump's plans for tariffs. Those will be a disaster. 

 

Several studies have examined the cost of the Section 301 tariffs on the U.S. economy. For example, economists Mary Amiti, Stephen J. Redding, and David Weinstein showed that by the end of the first year that the tariffs were in place, U.S. real income declined by $1.4 billion per month. More recently, trade analysts Tori Smith and Tom Lee from the American Action Forum found that U.S. consumers largely bore the brunt of the tariffs, paying a total of $48 billion—with half of this figure paid by U.S. firms that rely on intermediate inputs from China. A recent report by the United States International Trade Commission agreed that the cost of the tariffs was passed through to U.S. importers. Back in 2019, President Biden also agreed, stating, “Trump doesn’t get the basics. He thinks his tariffs are paid for by China. Any beginning econ student at Iowa or Iowa State could tell you the American people are paying his tariffs.”

The evidence is clear—the Trump tariffs have failed and the costs on the U.S. economy continue to pile up.

 

https://www.cfr.org/blog/cost-trumps-trade-war-china-still-adding

 

Key policies that undergird so-called Trumponomics — a combination of tariffs, tax cuts and a crackdown on immigration — are likely to cause a flare-up in inflation, according to many Wall Street economists. That would be a painful outcome for consumers and businesses sapped by more than two years of surging prices. More broadly, renewed inflationary pressures would also come.

 

If consumers "are upset now, they will be hopping mad a year from now" about inflation if Trump wins and enacts his policies, Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Analytics and co-author of a June report on the macroeconomic impacts of either a Trump or Biden win in November, told CBS MoneyWatch.

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-economy-inflation-tariffs-tax-cuts-immigration/

Might want to read the headline again!