Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has raised concerns over Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance’s responses regarding Donald Trump’s potential immigration policy. During an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Vance was accused of evading questions about family separations and mass deportations.
A campaign spokesperson for Harris stated that Vance was avoiding addressing the issue because of the potential controversial nature of Trump’s immigration policies. The spokesperson suggested that Vance was aware of the harsh measures that could be implemented, including using the military to separate families and detain migrants in mass camps.
During the interview, Vance did not provide a clear answer when asked about the possibility of Trump’s plan leading to family separations. He mentioned the need to deport individuals in the country, particularly focusing on violent criminals as a priority for federal resources.
Vance criticized Harris, claiming that her policies were also contributing to family separations. He argued that the current administration was responsible for such outcomes and emphasized the need for accountability.
A recent report from 2023 highlighted instances where migrant children were separated from their parents while in custody due to overcrowding in facilities. These separations occurred under the Biden administration but differed from the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy, which led to prolonged family separations and deportations without reunification.
According to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official, any current cases of child-parent separation are considered a last resort, with efforts made to reunite and release them together. The official emphasized that the approach to family separations under the current administration was distinct from previous policies.
