Kamala Harris, the nation’s designated “border czar,” has conveniently discovered the severity of the southern border crisis just in time for her 2024 presidential run. After years of neglecting the issue, Harris is now making headlines with promises to “stop the flow of illegal fentanyl.” However, her track record shows little evidence that she’s willing to take meaningful action.
Despite being appointed by President Joe Biden to oversee the border in 2021, Harris largely avoided the crisis during her time as vice president. As fentanyl-related deaths surged, reaching record levels, she remained silent and absent from border communities. Yet now, in a bid to appeal to independents and moderate voters, Harris is suddenly claiming the border needs stronger policies.
From 2021 to 2023, more than 325,000 Americans died from drug overdoses, with fentanyl being a key factor. Critics argue that the Biden-Harris administration’s lax border policies directly contributed to the flood of drugs entering the country. Anne Fundner, who lost her teenage son to fentanyl poisoning, told Congress that Harris failed to act when it mattered most. “Vice President Harris…has failed to act meaningfully,” Fundner testified, holding Harris responsible for her son’s death.
Harris’ sudden shift in tone regarding the border is not lost on her critics. CNN’s Jake Tapper pointed out that during her previous presidential run in 2019, Harris supported decriminalizing illegal border crossings — a move to align herself with the progressive base. Now, as she sets her sights on the White House once again, Harris is reversing her stance to appear tougher on immigration.
It’s clear that Harris’ newfound concern for the border crisis is more about political optics than genuine policy change. Once the election is over, many fear she will revert to her previous inaction.
