In a largely symbolic move, the House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning Vice President Kamala Harris for her handling of the migrant crisis, as Republicans ramp up their efforts to tie her to the Biden administration’s most contentious policies ahead of her expected presidential bid.
The 220-196 vote in favor of the resolution, which specifically targets Harris as the “border czar,” marks a new front in the GOP’s strategy to shift their attacks from President Joe Biden, who recently dropped out of the presidential race, to Harris, who is poised to take his place at the top of the ticket.
Six Democrats crossed party lines to support the measure, including Reps. Jared Golden, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Yadira Caraveo, Don Davis, Henry Cuellar, and Mary Peltola. The resolution, introduced by House GOP Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, accuses Harris and the Biden administration of “failing to secure the southern border,” leading to a surge in violent crimes, rapes, and murders.
Stefanik declared, “Kamala Harris, as border czar, has failed miserably, putting our national security at risk and turning every community into a border community. We will hold her and far-left Democrats accountable for their role in this crisis.”
The resolution’s passage coincides with an impeachment effort launched by Rep. Andy Ogles, who is seeking to charge Harris with high crimes and misdemeanors due to her alleged “extraordinary incompetence” in handling immigration issues. The impeachment articles, filed on Tuesday, are uncertain to be brought to a vote.
The border crisis has emerged as a key issue for Republicans to target Harris, who was tasked by Biden to oversee coordination with Central American countries. However, White House officials argue that Harris’s role was focused on diplomacy, not overseeing border operations.
When questioned about Harris’s lack of coordination with border patrol chiefs, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre deflected, saying Harris’s job was to address “root causes” through diplomacy. Jean-Pierre instead blamed Senate Republicans for backing out of a bipartisan border deal last year, citing former President Donald Trump’s opposition as the reason.
Democrats have pushed back against the GOP’s attacks, calling them a “complete fabrication” aimed at shifting blame from Biden to Harris ahead of the election. Rep. Glenn Ivey argued that the real issue is the Senate’s failure to pass bipartisan legislation, which was killed by Trump’s opposition.
Beyond the border crisis, Republicans aim to link Harris to other Biden policies, including those on the economy and crime, in an effort to convince voters that the pair are indistinguishable. Speaker Mike Johnson declared, “She is the co-owner, co-author, co-conspirator in all the policies that got us into this mess… She can’t run from that, she has to run on it.”
