According to Aljazeera, In a tense interview on Fox News, U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris defended her administration's handling of immigration, while facing sharp criticism from host Bret Baier. The Wednesday night exchange highlighted the challenges Harris faces as she attempts to distance her policies from both her predecessor, President Joe Biden, and her opponent, former President Donald Trump.
Baier opened the interview with a direct question: "How many illegal immigrants would you estimate your administration has released into the country over the last three and a half years?" The question underscored a key vulnerability for Harris, as the Biden administration has been criticized for its handling of immigration, including record numbers of irregular border crossings.
Harris, however, did not back down. She pointed out that immigration has been a challenge long before she was elected as vice president, and that Trump himself had failed to enact meaningful reform during his time in office.
"I think, frankly, that ad from the Trump campaign is a little bit of throwing stones when you're living in a glass house," Harris said, referencing a Trump campaign ad Baier had shown earlier. "You've got to take responsibility for what happened in your administration."
With the November 5 election fast approaching, immigration has become one of the central issues for voters. A recent Pew Research Center poll found that while the economy remains the top issue, 41% of voters said immigration is "extremely important" to their decision, and 31% called it "very important." Trump continues to hold an edge on the issue, with 54% of voters surveyed believing he is better suited to handle immigration policies.
Despite this, Harris has worked to shift the conversation, positioning herself as the candidate capable of bipartisan cooperation on immigration reform. She has repeatedly criticized Trump for sabotaging a potential immigration reform bill earlier this year.
"We have a broken immigration system that needs to be repaired," Harris emphasized. "And I have been working on this issue since my days as attorney general of a border state, prosecuting trafficking of drugs, guns, and human beings."
Harris's attempt to position herself as a bipartisan leader received a cooler reception from Baier, who pressed her on the rising number of undocumented immigrants entering the U.S.
during the Biden administration. He also suggested that some crimes committed by undocumented immigrants were a result of lax immigration policies, raising the names of victims like Jocelyn Nungaray, Rachel Morin, and Laken Riley.
Harris responded with empathy for the victims' families but was firm in defending the need for systemic immigration reform. "Those were tragic cases," she said. "But if a border security bill had been passed nine months ago, we would have had more agents at the border today."
In the interview, Harris also sought to distance herself from Biden's legacy, despite having previously indicated their close alignment. Baier questioned her about a recent comment on The View, where she said there was "not a thing" she would have done differently than Biden during his presidency. In response, Harris clarified her stance, saying, "Let me be very clear. My presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden's presidency."
Harris, who served as California's attorney general before becoming Biden's vice president, highlighted her relatively short time in Washington as an asset, suggesting that her presidency would bring fresh ideas to the White House.
With less than three weeks until the election, the tight race between Harris and Trump continues to intensify, with polls showing a virtual tie. Harris's campaign is focusing on appealing to moderate Republicans and independent voters, while Trump rallies his base on issues like immigration and crime.
As the interview concluded, Harris remained defiant. "They want a president of the United States who is not playing political games with the issue but is actually focused on fixing it," she said, underscoring her commitment to reform despite the political heat.
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