As a senator and vice president, Harris has courted controversy with the Department of Homeland Security by likening it to the Ku Klux Klan and fueling a since-discredited rumor that Border Patrol agents were whipping migrants on horseback.
ICE and the KKK
During her confirmation hearing in November 2018, then-Senator Harris asked Ronald Vitiello, President Trump’s nominee to head Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), whether he was aware of “perceptions” that ICE was similar to the KKK.
Ms Harris was referring to a 2015 tweet from Mr Vitiello in which he compared the Democratic Party to a “neo-Klan” group. Mr Vitiello has apologized and acknowledged his comments were offensive.
Flashback: Harris tried to cut the Border Patrol budget and defund the ice budget
Vice President Harris (Lee Vogel/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images/File)
“So what history would make that statement false?” Harris asked. Vitiello said the KKK would be considered a domestic terrorist group by today’s standards, and sought to use “fear and force” motivated by race and ethnicity.
“Are you aware of many people’s perceptions of how ICE’s power and discretion is used to enforce the law? And are there any similarities?” she asked.
Vitiello countered that he “doesn’t see any similarities” between the news organization and white supremacist groups, and asked if he was asking whether they belonged in the same category.
“No, what I’m asking you is very specific: Are you aware of any perception that the way they’re doing things is…” Harris continued, to which the candidate replied, “I haven’t seen anything.”
“Are you aware that there is a perception that ICE uses its power in ways that create fear and intimidation, particularly among immigrants, particularly immigrants from Mexico and Central America?” she asked again.
Harris ended her questioning by asking whether Vitiello could lead the agency if he was unaware of the negative perceptions of the agency.
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“How can you be the head of a government agency and not know how your agency is viewed by certain communities?” she asked.
This sparked outrage at the time, with Republicans accusing her of making the comparison for political purposes.
“Kamala Harris is trying to kick off her 2020 campaign by comparing ICE agents to the KKK, which is completely offensive,” tweeted Ronna McDaniel, who was then chair of the Republican National Committee.
Border Patrol Officer on Horseback
Three years later, in 2021, Harris angered Border Patrol agents by stoking a story about agents on horseback who encountered migrants during a surge of Haitian migrants in Del Rio, Texas.
Some Democrats, including President Biden, have accused officials of whipping migrants, based on images of officials using reins to control horses. Harris did not specifically mention whipping, but she did press officials.
“The way that people on horseback treat human beings like that is appalling from what I’ve seen,” Harris told reporters. “And I fully support what’s going on, which is a full investigation into what’s going on there, but human beings should never be treated like that. I’m deeply troubled by that. And I [Homeland Security] Secretary [Alejandro] I will be speaking to Mayorkas about that today.”
Her remarks echoed those of Biden, who promised that “they will pay a price.” Days later, Harris said the image evoked slavery.
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On September 19, 2021, Customs and Border Protection mounted officers attempt to contain migrants crossing the Rio Grande from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, to Del Rio, Texas. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
“Human beings should not be treated like that,” Harris told “The View” hosts. “This comment also harkens back to some of the darkest moments in our nation’s history when this was done to our indigenous people and, during slavery, to African-Americans.”
A subsequent investigation found that the agents were accused of minor infractions, but that the underlying allegation that migrants were whipped was untrue. Mr. Mayorkas, who had criticized the agents, defended them last year when a reporter cited the incident.
“Well, let me make a correction here. The fact is, the investigation concluded that no flogging took place,” he said.
Harris’ comments also drew ire from Border Patrol agents at the time, who she told Fox News in an interview.
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“Once again it is clear that the person in charge (as unpleasant a word as I am to use) has no idea about our operations and is quite frankly acting out of ignorance and insanity,” one person said.
Harris has not retracted her statements about either incident, and her campaign did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
If Harris is elected president, immigration is likely to be a top priority given the current state of affairs at the border. She has been tasked with leading international diplomacy to address the 2021 migrant crisis and has been dubbed the “border czar” by Republicans and the media.
