Staff Reports
Kamala Harris, California’s junior senator, has been spotted cheerleading for fundraisers aimed at defunding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This cozy relationship with left-wing immigration groups has turned heads, particularly as it underlines the sweeping push from liberal activists to abolish these critical agencies. Records reveal that she rallied support for at least two fundraising campaigns in 2018 and 2019, cementing her position as a prominent figure in the movement against traditional law enforcement.
The ongoing drama could spell trouble for Harris as she gears up for the 2024 election, especially given that President Biden entrusted her with unraveling the “root causes” of migration at the southern border. Despite her best efforts to shed the “border czar” title—earned during a monumental surge in illegal crossings under the Biden-Harris administration—her prior calls for defunding agencies tasked with maintaining border security could be a sticky issue. It seems voters might be reminded of her ambitious aspirations to reshape immigration enforcement when they head to the polls next November.
EXTREMISTS: Kamala Harris promoted fundraisers by abolish ICE activists https://t.co/Dv5mvK2qYL via @dcexaminer
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) August 21, 2024
Back in 2018, Harris was advocating for a complete reevaluation of ICE, suggesting the need to build it “from scratch.” In 2019, she took her anti-ICE crusade even further by sponsoring a bill aimed at slashing $220 million from a division focused on the arrest and deportation of illegal immigrants. As the November election looms closer, Republicans are eagerly waving this red flag, signaling to voters that Harris’s past may not gel well with a future demanding law and order.
Supporting fundraising activities for groups that promote defunding ICE isn’t just campaign fluff; it’s an action that Harris openly encouraged by appealing to her followers on social media. In one post, she directed people to donate to groups allegedly providing relief to families impacted by government actions—specifically those separated by ICE. Followers were met with a link to an ActBlue fundraiser, a platform notorious for its left-leaning political contributions. The irony is palpable, considering these same groups have previously unabashedly celebrated the defunding of federal law enforcement agencies.
The kaleidoscope of organizations benefiting from Harris-promoted fundraisers reads like a who’s who of anti-law enforcement sentiment. Groups such as the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services have been vocal about their intentions to defund local police, framing it as a path toward “safer, more just communities.” It’s quite a pair of coping mechanisms to think that removing local sheriffs—who manage jails, assist ICE, and patrol neighborhoods—will somehow contribute to a sense of safety. Perhaps the real goal is to redefine “community” in a way that aligns with their agenda.
Harris’s cozy connection with these radical groups and her previous statements could have the potential to backfire. As the Democratic presidential race heats up, conservative pundits are sharpening their pens, ready to remind voters of the stark implications of Harris’s affiliations and proposals. With the election around the corner, how she navigates her history of support for defunding border enforcement agencies will undoubtedly become a topic worth scrutinizing. After all, running on an anti-law enforcement platform might turn out to be an electoral boomerang.
