Kamala Harris, now the Vice President of the United States, has taken a much different stance on immigration enforcement than she did as a California senator.
Fox News reported that during her tenure in the Senate, Harris vocally opposed deportation efforts, a position she made clear in several public protests. These protests, including one notable instance in 2018, reflect the evolution of her political perspective on immigration.
Harris's involvement in protests against deportation contrasts sharply with her current role in an administration that has overseen a significant reduction in deportations, while her former political opponent, Donald Trump, has pushed for stricter immigration policies.
In 2018, Harris participated in the 33rd annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in Los Angeles. This event, traditionally held to honor King’s legacy, also featured left-leaning political causes, including immigration advocacy and the “Times Up!” movement.
Harris, who was named the grand marshal of the event, used her platform to speak out against immigration enforcement policies she found unjust.
As part of the parade, Harris joined other participants in protesting deportations, chanting phrases like, "Up, up with education, down, down with deportation!" The event was attended by members of her family, including her husband, Doug Emhoff, and his daughter, Ella Emhoff, who documented the day’s events.
At the time, Harris was joined by Jussie Smollett, an actor from the television show Empire. Smollett, who was seen alongside Harris during the parade, would later become embroiled in controversy. In January 2019, he was convicted of orchestrating a fake hate crime, a case that attracted significant media attention.
Harris initially expressed support for Smollett following the announcement of his alleged hate crime, describing the incident as an “attempted modern-day lynching.”
Despite the subsequent discovery that the attack was staged, Harris has not publicly retracted her statement. The incident has raised questions about her association with the actor, although no formal comments from Harris have been made since Smollett’s conviction.
Following her appointment as Vice President in the Biden-Harris administration, Harris’s stance on immigration has shifted in response to the policies she now oversees. Under the Biden administration, deportations of criminal illegal immigrants have decreased compared to the numbers seen under the Trump administration.
Data from the Biden administration shows that in its first term, the administration deported 158,931 illegal aliens who had either criminal convictions or pending charges. This is a sharp decrease from the 485,930 deported during the Trump administration. Harris, now in a position of significant influence over national immigration policy, has been criticized for the reduction in deportation numbers, especially by those advocating for stricter immigration enforcement.
Donald Trump, the former president and Harris's opponent in the 2024 election, has repeatedly criticized the current administration’s immigration policies. He has advocated for a return to the mass deportations that defined his administration’s approach to illegal immigration.
In a recent statement, Trump emphasized his commitment to deporting illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds. “We are getting the criminals out, and we are going to do that fast,” Trump said. He further asserted that the U.S. "cannot be a dumping ground" and that the mass deportation of criminal aliens is a necessity to protect the country.
Harris, on the other hand, has expressed concern over the implications of resuming mass deportations, particularly with regard to Trump's proposed strategies. In a speech, she warned against the possibility of “massive raids” and “mass deportation camps,” pointing to the human and ethical concerns surrounding such policies.
“They have pledged to carry out the largest deportation, a mass deportation, in American history... How's that gonna happen, massive raids? Massive detention camps?” Harris said. Her comments highlight the stark differences in approach between the Biden-Harris administration and Trump's proposals for handling illegal immigration.
As Vice President, Harris has faced increasing pressure to balance her administration’s immigration policies with the enforcement actions that some voters believe are necessary to maintain border security.
Critics argue that her previous opposition to deportations, particularly during public protests, conflicts with her role in an administration that is ultimately responsible for upholding the law.
While Harris’s change in tone on immigration reflects the complexities of her position as Vice President, her earlier protests against deportations continue to be scrutinized. Some view her 2018 appearance at the Los Angeles parade as part of a broader pattern of left-wing advocacy that is inconsistent with the policies she now supports.
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, the issue of immigration remains a central topic of debate between Harris and Trump.
The former president has continued to frame illegal immigration as a significant threat to national security, while Harris defends her administration’s policies as humane and necessary reforms. The contrasting approaches reflect the ongoing battle for public opinion on one of the country’s most divisive issues.
