Ahead of Kamala Harris’ first campaign rally in the Valley as the Democratic presidential nominee, surrogates for former President Donald Trump attacked her for what they describe as the Biden administration’s failure to secure the southern border.
Congressmen Eli Crane and Andy Biggs, alongside Republican U.S. Senate nominee Kari Lake and others, criticized Harris as at fault for record-setting numbers of border crossings earlier in President Joe Biden’s time in office.
Early in his administration, Biden asked Harris to find ways to address the root causes of a migration surge from some Central American countries. Republicans seized on the assignment, calling her a "border czar" who did little to stop the recurring surges.
Lake said the Republican Party, in contrast, is for “common sense” solutions that would ensure safe neighborhoods in Arizona.
“It's about a secure border where we have legal immigration, but we don't have millions of people pouring across unvetted,” Lake told reporters Thursday afternoon. “It's about taking back control of our border from the cartels, so we don't have drugs pouring in, getting into the hands of our young people and a young generation.”
Crane repeated a frequent GOP criticism of Harris for never once visiting the border as vice president – and he noted she has no plans to do so on her latest swing through the southwest.
“I know she's going to be out here in Arizona this week. She probably won't go to the border, because she never has since she's been the vice president,” Crane said. “But you know who did go to the border? JD Vance went to the border.”
Harris and her pick as running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are on a seven-state campaign trip through swing states, ending in Las Vegas on Saturday following a rally in Glendale Friday.
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