As the 2024 US presidential election approaches, immigration has become a hot issue, with Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris offering different approaches. In a conversation on X with Tesla owner Elon Musk on Tuesday, Trump pledged to deport the largest number of illegal immigrants in US history if elected. Harris, in her first view on the issue of immigration after being officially nominated as the Democratic candidate, emphasized her commitment to “strong border security.”
Trump expressed his concern about illegal immigration and estimated that “about 50–60 million people” from various regions, including Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, have crossed the US border.
In a conversation with Musk, he said, Delayed by more than 40 minutes due to technical difficultiesTrump, 78, recalled the recent incident Assassination attempt on him in Pennsylvaniawhere his life was saved while he The chart was showing illegal immigrantsand reiterated his plan for mass deportation.
“We will conduct the largest deportation campaign this country has ever seen,” Trump declared. “Our goal is to restore order and make sure that our immigration laws are fully enforced.”
Trump argued that strict enforcement of immigration laws was essential to national security and economic stability.
“We need to take decisive action to protect our borders and our citizens,” he said, calling the deportation plan essential to combating a growing crisis.
Trump criticizes Kamala Harris on immigration
In addition, Trump pointed out Biden to drop out of presidential race on July 21 as a “coup” by the Democrats.
This incident happened when Biden’s poor performance in the first presidential debate on June 27 in Atlanta, Georgia.
After his withdrawal, Biden endorsed Kamala Harris, 59, who is now the presidential candidate. Democratic presidential candidate against Trump,
Their debate is scheduled for September.
Trump used the opportunity to attack Vice President Kamala Harris, calling her a “fake” and blaming her for the rise in illegal immigration.
“The number of illegals Kamala has welcomed into our communities is far greater than we thought,” he said, accusing her of allowing criminals into the country.
Harris’s commitment to border security
In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris has vowed to fight for “strong border security” and criticized Trump for failing to pass immigration legislation that restricts asylum.
She promised that if elected, she would sign such a bill into law.
“I was the attorney general of a border state. I took on international gangs, drug cartels, human traffickers. I prosecuted them in a number of cases and I won, so I know what I’m talking about,” Harris said, Politico reported.
Addressing more than 15,000 supporters at the Desert Diamond Arena, Harris blamed Trump for Congress’ failure to pass a bipartisan border agreement earlier this year.
“He talks a lot about border security but he doesn’t follow through,” he told a crowd in Arizona on Friday, his first comments on immigration since being officially confirmed as the Democratic presidential nominee.
“We know our immigration system is broken, and we know what it takes to fix it: comprehensive reform that includes strong border security and an earned path to citizenship,” Harris said, as quoted by Politico.
Harris’s campaign has been active on the issue of immigration and border security, which has traditionally been a challenging issue for Democrats.
Biden’s ‘border czar’: Republicans target Harris
Republican ads have linked Harris to the record migrant surge that occurred earlier in the Biden administration, dubbing her President Joe Biden’s “border czar,” despite her narrower role focused on addressing the root causes of migration from Central American countries.
Though Democrats have generally avoided the immigration debate, Harris’s campaign has taken a strong stance, portraying her as consistently strong on border issues throughout her career.
His comments Friday coincide with a new campaign ad that emphasizes a tough message on immigration.
“As vice president, she championed the toughest border control bill in decades,” the ad says, Politico reported. “And as president, she’ll hire thousands more border agents and crack down on fentanyl and human trafficking. Fixing the border is tough. Kamala Harris is even tougher.”
Earlier this year, Democrats attempted to take a centrist approach to immigration, citing a failed bipartisan border security effort in the Senate.
However, Harris’s current position closely matches the administration’s stance.
In the past, Harris has joined other 2020 Democratic candidates in suggesting that unauthorized entry into the country should not be made a criminal offense.
Now, his campaign says his stance is “the same as the administration — unauthorized border crossings are illegal.”
As the 2024 election approaches, both candidates have clearly outlined their immigration policies, setting the stage for a crucial debate on one of the country’s most pressing issues.