'Vice President Harris Was Never The Administration's Border Czar': Dem Lawmaker Denounces GOP Bill

2 months ago

During debate on the House floor, Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA) spoke in opposition to a resolution that would condemn Vice President Kamala Harris for her role on the border.

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Transcript

00:00Thank you, thank you, Ranking Member Thompson.

00:03We should be offended at the lies.

00:05We should be offended that the American people are being lied to.

00:08We should be offended that kids were separated from their parents and their families under

00:14the Republican Party and the Republican leadership.

00:17That's what the American people and they should be offended about.

00:20House Republicans are living in a land of make-believe when it comes to the record of

00:24Vice President Harris.

00:27We keep hearing the term over and over again, the lies that she wished the borders are.

00:32Vice President Harris was never the administration's borders are.

00:35As a matter of fact, Republicans even know that because they had to change the resolution.

00:41There has never been such a position.

00:43It was invented by Republicans.

00:46Border security is the responsibility of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas.

00:50He has been to the border.

00:52He has met with the border chief.

00:54Republicans tried to impeach him and they failed in the Senate.

00:57Now they have a desperate resolution to blame Vice President Harris for the border.

01:01Again, this was not the responsibility President Biden gave her.

01:04President Biden tasked the Vice President to address the root causes in the Northern

01:08Triangle countries of Central America that caused migrants to flee their home countries.

01:13While a lot of work remains, Vice President Harris got results.

01:17She announced an additional $310 million for humanitarian relief to address food insecurity

01:24for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

01:26She led efforts on a private-public partnership that has secured commitments from the private

01:30sector to invest over $5 billion in the region to improve people's lives.

01:37She worked with the Department of Justice to launch the Task Force Alpha to combat migrant

01:41smuggling and human trafficking from the Northern Triangle countries.

01:45This task force led to over 220 convictions of members of human trafficking organizations.

01:52Border crossings for migrants from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

01:56The countries in Vice President Harris's root causes portfolio have also decreased

02:01in recent years.

02:03In fiscal year 2023, the crossings from these Northern Triangle countries made up 22% of

02:08all crossings, down from 41% in 2021 when she started.

02:15This resolution also criticized the administration for the number of border crossings and the

02:21encounters.

02:22Well, guess what?

02:23Border crossings are lower today than when the Trump administration left office.

02:28Let me say that again.

02:30Border crossings are down at a lower level than when even the Trump administration left

02:35office.

02:36But that's not convenient from our colleagues across the aisle.

02:40Republicans also failed to tell you that Republicans have refused to vote even on a border supplemental

02:45bill because President Biden, rather former President Trump, told them, don't do it.

02:54We need this for an election year issue.

02:56And here we are, on the House floor, talking about this as a political issue.

03:03What Republicans also failed to tell you is that more Democrats have actually voted for

03:08funding for DHS and border security than Republicans.

03:11I yield additional 30 seconds to the gentlelady.

03:13The gentlelady is recognized for an additional 30 seconds.

03:16This resolution does nothing to address the challenges at our southern border, and Republicans

03:20know that.

03:21They are not serious, not serious, in addressing border security.

03:27This resolution is not about solutions.

03:30It's about politics.

03:31Democrats, including Vice President Harris, will continue our work to address the challenges

03:35every day Americans face, and I urge my colleagues to reject these desperate tactics and this

03:40dishonest resolution.

03:42I yield back.

'Vice President Harris Was Never The Administration's Border Czar': Dem Lawmaker Denounces GOP Bill

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