Immigration Groups & Progressives Hope The Harris Border Policy is Temporary

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Progressive and immigration groups are voicing concern over Vice President Kamala Harris' recent pledges on border security, which many view as "harmful" and in line with a "MAGA anti-immigrant agenda." Yet, despite this discontent, these groups are largely standing by her in the race for the presidency.

 

The urgency of preventing another Donald Trump administration has created a temporary sense of unity among Democrats, but immigration could fracture the party again if Harris wins the election in November. The issue is expected to be a central focus next year for both the White House and Congress, no matter the outcome of the November 5 election, due to the global migration crisis. Some progressives, however, are holding out hope that Harris' strong rhetoric on border control is merely a campaign strategy designed to secure a victory, and that, as president, she would revert to the more liberal positions she espoused during her 2020 campaign.

 

Harris’ tenure in the Biden administration, spanning more than three years, has seen her shift from championing immigrant rights to adopting a more hawkish stance on border issues. She has signaled support for a bipartisan bill that failed in Congress but would heavily restrict asylum, continue border wall construction, and allocate historic levels of funding to detain undocumented immigrants. This current position contrasts with her earlier time as a California senator when, in 2017, she stated: "I know what a crime looks like. I will tell you: an undocumented immigrant is not a criminal." Furthermore, during her 2019 presidential run, Harris advocated for making illegal border crossings a civil, not criminal, offense.

 

Several organizations have been vocal about opposing the border bill if Harris were to advance it as president. Kerri Talbot, executive director of the Immigration Hub, expressed her group’s opposition, saying, “If you take out the Ukraine aid that was originally part of the compromise, it’s just a Republican bill.” David Stacy of the Human Rights Campaign added that the bill “undermines asylum protections for LGBTQ+ people fleeing violence.” Oxfam America’s Gina Cummings and Sunil Varghese of the International Refugee Assistance Project also voiced opposition, citing concerns about reduced asylum access and outdated immigration policies.

 

Yet, despite their opposition to the bill, these same groups remain supportive of Harris. Talbot, for instance, maintains trust in the vice president’s judgment, stating, “We all know and trust Harris to make the right decisions when she’s in office. I don’t think this bill will ever come up again, as is.” Harris herself has emphasized a balanced approach, arguing in a recent interview that “We can keep families together, and we can secure the border.”

 

The reality is that many Democrats, although not in full agreement with Harris’ current immigration stance, are prioritizing unity in the face of Trump’s far more hawkish proposals. Trump has promised sweeping domestic raids and the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. California Senator Alex Padilla acknowledged the flaws in the border bill but reiterated his support for Harris, saying she “values keeping families together and providing a pathway to citizenship for long-term residents.” The progressive group Indivisible echoed this sentiment, pointing out that while they don’t back Harris on every position, “Stopping Trump is absolutely critical.”

 

For now, Democrats are standing together, with the hope that Harris’ policies, should she win, will align more closely with the progressive values she once championed.

 

Credit: AXIOS 2024-09-20

 

 

 

[EVENKEEL]

Pretty sure it's just temporary. Have no fear progressives.