Official announcements from the U.S. government or relevant authorities

Kamala Harris Visits Douglas, AZ Border 40 Days Before Election, Proposes Tougher Asylum Rules

Sep 27, 2024, 10:20 PM

Vice President Kamala Harris visited the U.S.-Mexico border in Douglas, Arizona, marking her first trip to the border since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee. During her visit, Harris toured the Raul H. Castro Port of Entry and received briefings on operations and efforts to disrupt the flow of fentanyl. She also proposed extending President Biden's restrictions on asylum, including potential felony charges for repeat offenders, and announced plans to hire more Border Patrol agents and implement new fentanyl detection machines. Harris criticized former President Donald Trump for his immigration policies and emphasized her new bipartisan plan to strengthen border security. This visit, occurring 40 days before the election, comes amid criticism of her handling of immigration issues and is seen as an effort to address one of her biggest political vulnerabilities. Critics have labeled the visit as a photo op.