Vice President Harris is in a precarious position when it comes to helping resolve the migrant crisis at the border, especially as a person with presidential aspirations.
The issue could pose major challenges for a future candidacy for the White House, especially if it goes wrong, opening Harris to right-wing attacks, as well as a possible scrutiny of leftists who are dissatisfied with the Biden administration’s treatment. of immigrant children.
“Assuming immigration as a niche is full of opportunities and risks for the vice president,” said Democratic strategist Joel Payne. “This is especially true for someone with their public profile, which is relatively new to a wide strip of the country.”
Payne added that it is especially thorny for Democrats, if history is any indication. They point to former President Obama’s difficulty on the issue within his own party.
“Immigration is a much more complicated issue within the Democratic Party than conventional wisdom would suggest,” he said. “There’s a lot of scar tissue from Obama-era immigration policies that many activists are still very excited about.”
Harris ’allies also fear worse when it comes to the outcome.
“It’s not the biggest task,” said an ally who has worked alongside Harris. “It’s an important task, but it won’t be easy.”
As the White House came under increasing pressure from the increase in migrant children staying at border facilities, Biden announced late last month that it would commission Harris to lead commitments with Mexico and the countries of the United States. northern triangle to curb the flow of migrants to the southern US. border.
In making the announcement, Biden noted that he played a similar role during his time as vice president under Obama. He also described Harris as the most suitable for the job, highlighting both his previous work as California’s attorney general and human rights advocacy.
“I gave you a hard job and you’re smiling, but there’s no one better able to try to organize it for us,” Biden told Harris.
During the first two months of the administration, Democrats wondered why Harris had not been assigned a specific political role in the White House, especially because others held other possible positions, such as overseeing the relief package. of the coronavirus.
“A lot of people have wondered what his portfolio will look like,” said a Democratic donor who was surprised by the lack of a role for Harris.
When it comes to the situation at the border, the White House has been careful to specify that Harris does not command per se, but leads the diplomatic piece in an attempt to work with other countries to address the root causes of the migration.
“The vice president doesn’t make the border,” Harris spokeswoman said Symone Sanders
Symone Sanders: The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden could find zero GOP support for the work plan Harris will move to the Naval Observatory next week. Texas battles freeze MORE in the winter he told reporters during a trip to Connecticut last week, noting that Biden had commissioned Harris to handle “diplomatic problems.”
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiDeSantis issues executive order banning vaccine passports White House delays publication of budget plan Hill’s report at 12:30 – Biden promotes report on major jobs MORE reiterated that during a briefing on Friday, when asked how Biden saw Harris’ role, he said the vice president “is really focused on the northern triangle” and that the national security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
Alejandro MayorkasCOVID disrupted a Latin business boom: the recovery should aim to restore it. The number of migrants detained on the southern border reaches a maximum of 15 years: PENDING ENERGY reports: Supreme Court backs Georgia for Florida in a long water war | FEMA presents a new calculation of flood insurance that says it will be more equitable The Department of Energy is pushing for MORE reversing the Trump-era rule on efficiency standards and Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra
Xavier BecerraBiden’s HHS is committed to another advertising campaign that promotes expanded health coverage. It’s time for a balanced conversation about Medicare Advantage spending. Trump’s adviser pursued his own medical supply bids COVID-19, documents show they supervise shelters for young migrants crossing the United States
A Democratic strategist assumed the White House was trying to divert attention from the situation at the border and focus on the international aspect of the challenge.
“They are not very sure what they can do to resolve the situation at the border, but, considering it more as a foreign policy issue, it makes it less tangible for voters because voters do not always pay attention to foreign policy issues, ”Said the strategist.
The Washington Post reported preliminary data on Friday showing that more than 171,000 migrants were taken into U.S. custody along the border during March, the highest level in any month in more than a decade.
Psaki said on Friday that the message from the Biden administration remains that now is not the time to get there.
“We are not naive about the challenge, but what we focus on is solutions and actions to help care for unaccompanied minors crossing the border and make it less of an incentive to come,” he said.
The role gives Harris the opportunity to show that he is dealing with an urgent and difficult issue, regardless of political risks. Some advocates also hope that Harris will continue the views she held as a senator, including advocating for appropriate trial rights for migrants who are detained upon entering the United States.
“I feel cautiously optimistic,” said Clara Long, who focuses on immigration and border policy at Human Rights Watch. “He was a strong voice for due process, access to lawyers, the idea that a system of protection should exist and I hope he has that same perspective in his commitment to other countries.”
Harris held his first call with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Tuesday. He has no immediate plans to travel to the border, however, and Biden has suggested he might do so at some point, but the White House has offered no specific timeline.
While Biden maintains high approval ratings when it comes to handling the economy and the coronavirus pandemic, his treatment of immigration is a weakness. A recent NPR / Marist poll found that 53 percent of U.S. adults disapprove of Biden’s treatment of immigration, while only 34 percent approve.
Republicans have hammered the administration, accusing the new president of encouraging the rise in migrants, as the White House has tried to return the blame to the Trump administration. Biden reversed many of the former president’s immigration policies, including accepting unaccompanied children at the border.
“It’s more than a crisis. That’s human discouragement, ”House Minority Leader directs Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthy: Republicans say Gaetz’s days in Congress are numbered by the DOJ poll on Gaetz involving cash payments to women: Pelosi’s report says Ethics Committee should investigate Gaetz MORE (R-California), he said last month during a border trip.
Doug Heye, a former communications director for the Republican National Committee, described the border situation as a “hot potato” not only for Harris, but for the Biden administration.
“As we’ve seen before with the Trump administration, when these images come from people crossing the border, from separated families, voters react very negatively to that. Trump fed some of that by having a constantly divisive rhetoric about immigration. , but because Biden’s rhetoric is nicer, those images don’t change, “Heye said.
Still, he assumed Harris would not be the Republicans ’only target unless it became clearer that Biden is unlikely to seek a second term, which he recently said he intended to do.
“Otherwise, it would be a bit like attacking Mike Pence
Michael (Mike) Richard PenceHarris will move to the Naval Observatory next week On The Money: The IRS says federal beneficiaries will get relief checks starting April 7 | Democrats have a growing SAL problem Consumer confidence has reached its highest level since the Marc Short pandemic began among Republican Party campaign leaders against Biden’s tax hike: reports MORE three years ago, “Heye said.” The vice president is not your goal. ”
But Harris, 56, is expected to have long-term political ambitions, even if Biden seeks a second term in the White House.
“If he ever decides to run for president, the way he does it can be a problem he will have to fight for in his own campaign,” the Democratic strategist said. “I’m sure he’ll handle it day in and day out with his eyes set on his political future.”