During a pointed exchange on NBC’s “Meet the Press” this Sunday, 2024 Republican vice-presidential nominee J.D. Vance clashed with host Kristen Welker on the subject of U.S. immigration policy, a topic that has been at the forefront of national debate.
The discussion delved into the actions and plans of the Trump administration regarding immigration, following a promise by former President Trump to initiate the largest deportation effort in U.S. history after the tragic murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley by an undocumented immigrant.
Welker steered the conversation towards whether a second Trump administration would separate families with mixed immigration status.
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Vance highlighted the significant number of undocumented immigrants admitted into the U.S. under Kamala Harris’s tenure as the border czar—a role she assumed shortly after the commencement of the Biden-Harris administration.
Vance expressed a strong critique of the current administration’s handling of the border crisis. “I think there are reasons to think DHS is underestimating. Whatever the real number is, it’s way too high, right? It’s millions upon millions of illegal immigrants that come in just since Kamala Harris has become the border czar a few years ago,” Vance asserted during the interview.
Welker countered by mentioning Harris’s assignment to address the root causes of migration, to which Vance responded sharply, “Well, the root causes of migration, I would say, Kristen, are that Kamala Harris refuses to do her job as border czar. Let’s start there.” Watch:
Sen. @JDVance just wrecked Kamala Harris for her failure as Border Czar after NBC tried running cover for her🔥
NBC: “She was put in charge of the root causes of migration.”
JD: “Well, the root causes of migration…is that Kamala Harris refuses to do her job as Border Czar.” pic.twitter.com/rVL1W0pz5A
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) August 25, 2024
Vance, emphasizing the urgency of the situation, argued that the initial step to solving the immigration crisis is to “stop the bleeding”—a metaphor for the immediate cessation of illegal entries through the U.S. southern border.
He criticized the policies implemented since Harris’s appointment, which he believes have exacerbated the situation. “You have to stop so many people from coming here illegally in the first place, and that means undoing everything that Kamala Harris did practically on day one of the administration,” he elaborated.
The vice-presidential nominee outlined several measures he believes are essential to regain control over the border situation. “You have to reimpose deportations. You have to stop ‘catch and release.’ Stop granting asylum to every single person who comes in here and says that they need asylum. And stop granting mass parole,” Vance detailed. He underscored the necessity of these actions to prevent the immigration crisis from worsening.
Vance’s comments reflect a broader Republican critique of the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of immigration, particularly targeting Harris’s role and effectiveness as the border czar.
According to Vance and the Republican viewpoint, the solutions involve strict enforcement of immigration laws and reversing several policies enacted under the current administration.
You can see the full interview below. Watch:
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