Vice President Kamala Harris made her first visit to the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday, amid relentless criticism from Republicans and ahead of former President Donald Trump's visit to South Texas next week.
Harris joined Rep. Veronica Escobar and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at an El Paso, Texas migrant processing center, among other stops. The vice president called for an end to "rhetoric" and "infighting" over immigration, highlighting what she said is the Biden administration's more humane approach to immigration policy than Trump's.
David McCuan, Professor and Chair of Sonoma State's Political Science Department, told KCBS Radio on Friday afternoon that Harris' visit wasn't likely to dissuade critics, particularly amid an influx of Central American immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley.
But the main purpose of the trip was "to really make some contrast" with the Biden administration's efforts and those of its predecessor, McCuan said. In an address Friday, Harris noted that El Paso was where the Trump administration began its child separation policy.
"There are some elements here that are important for the vice president's role in terms of shepherding and moving forward the agenda of the Biden administration," McCuan said. "This was a start today, but it's a start more about optics."
Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will speak at a town hall in the Rio Grande Valley on June 30, and the former president is likely to criticize his successor and the vice president's immigration efforts.
McCuan said he expects the Biden administration to "get (Trump) off the front page" by announcing their own set of initiatives, whether those are centered on immigration, children and families or criminal justice reform.
"They have to contrast with the former president," McCuan said. "We are building towards these midterm elections in 2022, and, obviously, what Donald Trump is going to talk about and what Republicans are going to talk about is really the triumvirate of Vice President Harris, Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi and (California Gov.) Gavin Newsom in the recall."
"They're going to try all of that up in terms of some 'Left Coast' vs. 'Right Coast' phenomenon," he added. "And the Biden administration is going to have to counter that with initiatives that move forward their own policies and that can pass not only in the House, but can fly with someone like (West Virginia Sen.) Joe Manchin in the Senate as well."
