A deadline given by House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to provide documents related to communications with Vice President Kamala Harris has passed.
It was not immediately clear whether the body effectively handed over the documentation before the date set, August 20. The request, according to Comer, seeks to "understand Vice President Harris' role in the worst border crisis in American history."
CBP was required to share any and all communications and documents with Harris' executive office in relation to the southwest border. "It is unclear what actions, if any, Vice President Harris has taken to fix the border crisis. Rather, she has claimed that '[w]e have a secure border in that that is a priority for any nation.' The Committee seeks to understand whether Vice President Harris has 'done anything' to address the worst border crisis in American history," Comer said in mid-August when spearheading the request.
Republicans have made of illegal immigration a main line of attack against Harris, with many dubbing her the "border czar," a reference to her role at the beginning of the Biden administration that sought to counter the so-called "root causes" of migration: economic malaise and a lack of opportunities in Central American countries from which a large portion of those seeking to reach the U.S. depart from.
In July, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik introduced a resolution to condemn her role in immigration enforcement. Stefanik, who is also calling Harris the "Border Czar," said in a statement that her "failed leadership led to the most catastrophic open border crisis in history."
"Biden's open border czar Kamala Harris, and every elected Democrat is responsible for this border crisis and they must all be held accountable for their role in jeopardizing our national security and turning every community into a border community," the statement adds.
GOP nominee Donald Trump delivered similar remarks during an event in Arizona on Thursday. Reiterating his vow to forcefully crack down on illegal immigration, he sought to draw a contrast between his policies and those that, he said, Harris would implement should she be elected.
Trump stood beside a section of the border wall constructed during his administration alongside a pile of unused steel beams, which he claimed represented the Biden administration's inaction.
Paul Perez, president of the Border Patrol union and present at the event, labeled the erected wall as "Trump wall" and the unused materials as the "Kamala wall." Trump was joined by several other people, including the sheriff of Cochise County and mothers of children who were killed during the Biden administration by individuals who had entered the country illegally.
Democratic officials responded to Trump's statements during the DNC in Chicago. Rep. Pete Aguilar of California emphasized that securing the border and building an inclusive America are not mutually exclusive goals, saying that Harris is capable of achieving both. Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas, on her end, accused Trump of exploiting the border issue for political gain rather than seeking genuine solutions.
Immigration played a central role in the third day of the DNC, as the Harris campaign seeks to turn a political liability into an asset. Several speakers advocated for stronger border security and urged Congress to pass legislation to reform the immigration system.
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