In a significant bipartisan move, the House of Representatives, controlled by the GOP, officially criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for her role as the administration’s point person on border issues and slammed the Biden administration for its failure to manage illegal immigration effectively.
The resolution saw the backing of six Democratic members who joined 214 of their Republican counterparts in support, while 196 Democrats opposed it. Vote absenteeism was noted among 16 members, which included both Republicans and Democrats.
The Democrats who sided with the opposition included Reps. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Don Davis (D-NC), Jared Golden (D-ME), Mary Peltola (D-AK), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA).
Introduced by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), the House GOP Conference Chair, just days after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election and threw his support behind Harris, the resolution made a bold statement by condemning the administration’s handling of the border situation under Harris’s oversight.
The document criticizes the administration for its lack of effective measures to secure the US border and asserts the American populace’s right to competent representation to address the border crisis. Following President Biden’s decision in March 2021 to assign Harris the task of addressing migration challenges with Mexico and other nations, Harris emphasized tackling the fundamental causes driving migration.
The resolution presented by Stefanik specifically attacked the Biden-Harris administration for adopting what it termed liberal border policies and for exacerbating the border situation by discontinuing Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy. It outlined multiple grievances including Harris’s delayed border visit, the record numbers of illegal migrant encounters, crimes by illegal immigrants, terrorist watchlist detections, and the financial burden on taxpayers among other issues.
Following the passing of the resolution, Stefanik issued a powerful critique of Harris and Democrats for the ongoing border crisis, advocating for a return to the security policies from Trump’s presidency, prioritizing the safety of American citizens. Stefanik also shared her observations of the crisis’s impacts, including an unprecedented increase in illegal crossings and security risks, emphasizing the broader humanitarian and national security crises fostered by the current administration’s policies.
The resolution’s surprising Democratic support underscores the growing importance of immigration as a pivotal issue for the American electorate, especially in an election year, as indicated by these Democrats’ history of backing GOP-led criticisms against the Biden administration’s immigration strategies.
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) criticized Stefanik’s resolution as insincere and misleading during a press conference before the vote.
