Vice President Kamala Harris made a promise to close all privately-run immigration detention centers right away during her first presidential campaign. A video clip from an event in Iowa during her 2020 bid resurfaced recently, showing Harris making this commitment. She was asked by an attendee if she would commit to closing these detention centers once she became president, to which she responded with a firm “Absolutely, on day one. On day one.”
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas shared this footage on his social media, adding his commentary by saying, “When she tells you who she is…believe her.” The data from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) for the 2024 fiscal year revealed that over 37,000 migrants were being held in 18 private detention facilities, with more than 10,000 having criminal records and around 4,600 facing pending criminal charges.
ICE recently announced several arrests, including the deportation of a Brazilian man wanted for attempted murder who was apprehended and released at the southern border in March. Another arrest involved a Dominican man charged with fentanyl trafficking in Massachusetts after being caught and released at the border in February. Additionally, a Guatemalan migrant arrested for child molestation in Rhode Island had been released at the border during the Obama administration, and an Ecuadorian individual charged with rape and kidnapping in Massachusetts was also taken into custody.
President Biden, who has highlighted the decrease in illegal border crossings, appointed Vice President Harris as a border “czar” to address the issue of illegal immigration from Central America. Since the start of her presidential campaign, Republicans have criticized Harris for the record on the border under the Biden administration, which has led to a surge in illegal immigrants entering the United States.
In 2018, Harris drew criticism for comparing Homeland Security agencies to the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) during a questioning of Ronald Vitiello, a former nominee to lead ICE under President Trump. She raised concerns about the perception of ICE causing fear and intimidation among immigrants from Mexico and Central America. In an interview with MSNBC the same year, Harris stated that there were significant issues with ICE and its operations, suggesting a need to re-evaluate its role and consider starting over.
The ongoing debate surrounding immigration detention centers and border policies continues to be a contentious issue in American politics, with both supporters and critics of the Biden administration’s approach voicing their opinions on the matter. As the situation at the southern border remains a focal point, the future of immigration policy in the United States remains uncertain.