Arizona Republic Refutes Claims: VP Harris Not Tasked as ‘Border Czar’

By Staff Reporter |

The Arizona Republic has clarified that Vice President Kamala Harris, now a presidential candidate, was never tasked with managing the border crisis, despite prevailing perceptions. The report, published on Tuesday, negates claims that Harris held a “border czar” title or that President Joe Biden assigned her the specific duty of handling illegal immigration at the border.

According to the Arizona Republic, Harris’s role was to work with Central American countries to address the root causes of immigration. However, she was never officially labeled as the “border czar” nor explicitly tasked with managing migrant surges. In March 2021, President Biden did appoint Harris to address illegal migration at the southern border during a meeting on immigration. He announced the appointment of Secretary Xavier Becerra and described Harris as “the most qualified person” for the role, providing her with significant decision-making authority on the issue.

Biden emphasized Harris’s responsibility to lead diplomatic engagements with Mexico and countries in the Northern Triangle to curb migration to the southern border. Although he did not officially title her as the “border czar,” he granted her extensive authority to operate independently in handling the situation.

Biden also referenced his own experience handling border issues as vice president under former President Barack Obama, underscoring the critical nature of the uptick in illegal immigrant crossings. He affirmed that Harris would lead the diplomatic efforts to work with other nations on accepting returnees and enhancing migration enforcement.

If Harris undertook efforts to mitigate the border crisis, they did not result in reducing illegal immigrant entries. Illegal border crossings have continued to climb since Biden took office, reaching levels not seen before his administration. During a televised meeting in March 2021, Harris vowed to address the root causes of illegal immigration, aiming to engage foreign governments, the private sector, civil society leaders, and congressional leaders in finding solutions.

“The work will not be easy, but it is essential,” said Harris, adding that it would help stem the tide of illegal immigration. In June, Harris visited Guatemala and made headlines with her stark message to potential migrants: “Do not come.” Despite this, the number of illegal entries has surged.

Since Biden’s inauguration, there have been nearly 8 million encounters at the southwest border, excluding those who evaded capture. Experts predict the total may reach 10 million by the next inauguration.

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