U.S. News

Kamala Harris to visit Texas for fundraiser — but not US border

Just a little farther, Kamala …

Vice President and Biden White House migration czar Kamala Harris is heading back to Texas — just not to the US-Mexico border.

The veep is set to headline a big-bucks Texas Democratic Party fundraiser in Austin on Saturday, less than five weeks ahead of next month’s midterm elections.

But there are currently no plans for Harris — who has been slammed for remaining silent about the ongoing humanitarian crisis even when migrants were literally dropped off outside her home — to travel further south while she’s there, sources told The Post on Tuesday.

Texas GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales, whose district stretches from immigration hot zone Del Rio to just outside El Paso, said he hadn’t been made aware of any possible visits to his district by Harris during her trip to the Lone Star State.

“In a few days Vice President Harris is going to visit Texas, but she’s going to Austin to fundraise,” Gonzales told The Post.

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to headline a big Texas Democratic Party fundraiser in Austin on Oct. 8.
AP

“I don’t understand why the Vice President just won’t take an hour plane ride to the border and just listen, talk to people, just show up and say, ‘Hey, we are here to help.’ Just say, ‘The administration hasn’t abandoned you’ … something!”

A Texas Democratic source added that they, too, had no word of a planned border visit by Harris.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the veep was planning on adding a last-minute border stop to her schedule. Harris’s office didn’t immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

Currently, Harris’ official schedule only notes that she’s attending the Texas Democratic Party’s Johnson-Jordan Reception, where suggested donations range from $250 to $10,000.

A picture of migrants waiting in line to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol after crossing the border to El Paso.
Migrants wait to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol after crossing the border to El Paso, Texas.
REUTERS

Harris is also set to meet with abortion rights advocates while she’s in the city after Texas banned most abortions after the six-week mark of a pregnancy.

The supposed plan to avoid the border in favor of the big-money fundraiser was quickly slammed by seething Republicans.

“The only place ‘Border Czar’ VP Kamala Harris should be visiting in Texas is the disaster-area formerly known as the US-Mexico border,” Texas GOP Rep. August Pfluger told The Post.

“It is unbelievable that this administration has the gall to face the people of Texas who they have abandoned and ask for money.”

A picture showing that Vice President Harris will be the keynote speaker for the annual Johnson-Jordan Reception.
Vice President Harris will be the keynote speaker for the annual Johnson-Jordan Reception.
Texas Democrats

Harris, who was put in charge of border issues by President Biden in March of last year, has largely remained silent on the raging immigration debate – even though it’s among the key issues for voters heading into the Nov. 8 midterm election.

Migrant arrest numbers have almost doubled under the Biden administration and have already exceeded last year’s record, according to the latest Customs and Border Protection data.

In the first 11 months of this fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, Border Patrol agents reported more than 1.94 million encounters at the border, up from the 1.73 million encounters in all of 2021 and the approximately 458,000 recorded in 2020.

When Biden tapped Harris to be his border czar last year, he insisted his right-hand woman was the “most qualified person” to help identify the “root causes” of the surge in border crossings.

A picture of migrants being greeted and given a briefing by shelter staff in El Paso, Texas.
In the first 11 months of this fiscal year, which ended on Sept. 30, Border Patrol agents reported more than 1.94 million encounters at the border.
REUTERS

But she has been repeatedly dogged by criticism — from both Republicans and Democrats – over her silence on the issue, as well as what critics say is a lack of action.

Just last week, Republicans hammered Harris for traveling to the Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea rather than visiting the border.

Harris also refused to answer questions from reporters late last month when Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott started bussing dozens of migrants to her official residence.

Her silence came just days after she insisted in an NBC “Meet The Press” interview that “the border is secure” — a claim the White House backed up hours after the migrants arrived at her front door.

Checkout latest world news below links :
World News || Latest News || U.S. News

Source link

Back to top button