On Thursday, JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, visited the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona to spotlight what he and his party view as failures of the current administration’s immigration policies. Vance, who is seeking to bolster his campaign following an uneven start, used the visit to criticize Vice President Kamala Harris, attributing various border-related issues to her policies.
Accompanied by Cochise County Sheriff Bob Watkins and former border patrol leaders, Vance made a pointed critique of Harris’s record on immigration. Standing near a partially constructed section of the border wall, Vance asserted that the incomplete barrier symbolized the Biden-Harris administration’s inadequate approach to border security. He accused Harris of fulfilling her campaign promises to “open the southern border” and argued that the current administration’s policies have led to increased illegal crossings, rising crime, and a surge in fentanyl-related deaths.
Vance underscored his commitment to reversing these policies by pledging a return to stricter measures such as “Remain in Mexico” and Title 42, which were employed during the Trump administration to limit illegal immigration and manage border control more effectively. He criticized the existing administration’s handling of the border, suggesting that their policies have overwhelmed local hospitals and schools, and labeled the situation as a de facto open border.
The impact of fentanyl on the border was also a focal point of Vance’s remarks. Linking the opioid crisis to his personal experience—highlighted in his book Hillbilly Elegy, where he detailed his mother’s battle with addiction—Vance criticized Harris for not adequately addressing this crisis. Cochise County Sheriff Watkins highlighted that a significant portion of the nation’s fentanyl seizures occur close to the Arizona border, further underscoring the region’s severe drug problem.
Vance reiterated that under a Trump administration, the border would be effectively secured, and law enforcement agencies would receive necessary resources. He contended that recent bipartisan efforts to enhance border security were thwarted by Trump’s opposition. In response, the Harris campaign has defended her record, promising to reintroduce measures to bolster border security and increase funding for detection technologies to combat fentanyl smuggling.
The debate over border security continues as recent encounters at the southwest border have reportedly decreased, partly due to new asylum restrictions implemented by the Biden administration earlier this year.