On Sunday, former President Donald Trump ramped up his criticism of illegal immigration, sharing a striking image on X (formerly Twitter) that took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris and border security. The post showcased a shadowy figure with a knife approaching a woman in an alley, accompanied by the tagline “No One Is Safe With Kamala’s Open Border.” This aligns with Trump’s consistent denouncement of the Biden administration’s immigration strategies.
While some Republicans, including Trump and his running mate Senator JD Vance, have dubbed Harris Biden’s “border czar,” she never officially held that title. Instead, Biden tasked her with tackling the “root causes” of migration from Central America.
As the GOP’s presidential nominee, Trump further intensified his campaign rhetoric, sharing grim imagery suggesting chaos under a potential Harris presidency. In a summer ad, he accused her of deliberately making the border less secure, asserting that she halted Trump’s border wall construction and took numerous actions to weaken border security.
In August, Trump posted a detailed list asserting that “KAMALA INTENTIONALLY UNSECURED THE BORDER,” which included claims about her stance on deportations and sanctuary cities. He has also criticized her for supposedly advocating for “mass amnesty” and government benefits for undocumented immigrants.
In response, Harris has defended the current administration’s immigration policies, emphasizing the need for long-term solutions. During a 2021 joint press conference, she reinforced that the U.S. would continue to enforce laws at the borders, stating, “If you come to our border, you will be turned back.”
AFP / Getty Images/MANDEL NGAN
The Biden administration touts its increased funding for border security and collaborative efforts with Central American nations to address the factors fueling migration, such as poverty and violence. However, during a recent rally in Atlanta, Harris criticized Trump, suggesting that his focus is self-serving rather than genuinely concerned about border issues.
On the other hand, many Republicans argue that current measures are inadequate to curb the surge of migrants, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection reporting over 2 million encounters at the southern border in fiscal 2023—a record high. Texas Representative Tony Gonzales held a press conference, expressing frustration that the Biden-Harris administration has neglected border security, stating, “They’ve abandoned us. We can either complain about the issue or roll up our sleeves and get to work.”