Vice President Kamala Harris spoke Friday to a room of more than 300 people at an invite-only event in Douglas, Arizona, a small border city in Cochise County.
The Democratic candidate for president focused on the border and border security, positioning herself as someone who would be tough on border crime as well as creating legal pathways for migrants.
“We must reform our immigration system to ensure that it works in an orderly way, that it is humane, and that it makes our country stronger,” she said.
She also talked about border investments, such as more than half a billion dollars that the Biden administration and Congress is investing to modernize and expand the Douglas port of entry. She pledged to bring back the bipartisan border security bill that Congress tanked earlier this year.
Harris said she was also going to double down on the rule that Biden put into effect in June, almost entirely shutting down access to asylum for people who cross undocumented and banning them from entering the country again for at least five years.
“Those who cross our borders unlawfully will be apprehended and removed and barred from re-entering for five years. We will pursue more severe criminal charges for repeat violators. And if someone does not make an asylum request at a legal point of entry, and instead crosses our border unlawfully, they will be barred from receiving asylum.”
The number of migrants Border Patrol apprehended at the southwest border has decreased by more than 50% since Biden enacted the rule. But numerous human rights groups have said it subverts domestic and international asylum laws and agreements.
The event was attended by many local and state elected officials as well as people involved in the local Democratic Party and Democratic causes. Kim Moschetti and Phyllis Romero, from Sierra Vista, are both involved with local Democrats in Sierra Vista and Cochise County.
They said they were interested in Harris’ policies on the economy, women’s health and the border.
“I'm real curious to hear what her policy points are, the real salient points on the economy and what it is that she intends to do,” Romero said. “I know some of the things that she's been saying, like the $25,000 for first time homeowners, for reining in prices of pharmaceuticals, for holding to account those who she feels are price fixing. I'd like to know you know a little bit more about that, but I'm really, really concerned about female health care and health care for the United States citizens in general.
As well there were Republicans in attendance, including Douglas Mayor Donald Huish who was one of the speakers introducing Harris. Sen. Mark Kelly and Attorney General Kris Mayes also spoke before Harris.
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