Cárdenas: “Today, VP Harris went to the border and importantly, went beyond the border in her remarks. She laid out a broader vision on immigration that connects with the majority of Americans”
Washington, DC — The following is a statement from Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice reacting to the Arizona border and immigration speech of Vice President Kamala Harris:
“At long last the speech we needed to hear. Today, VP Harris went to the border and importantly, went beyond the border in her remarks. She laid out a broader vision on immigration that connects with the majority of Americans who want both an orderly border AND legal immigration avenues and citizenship for Dreamers, farmworkers, and long-settled immigrants already here.
Her positions sharply contrast with her opponents, who oppose legal immigration, are seeking to make DACA recipients and other immigrants with various forms of legal status deportable and cannot seem to stop lying about and libeling immigrants living and working productively in the U.S. The American majority recoils from Donald Trump’s extremist ideas and tactics on immigration and other issues. They remember policies like family separation and fear a repeat if mass deportation of long-settled immigrants begins. Americans want real and common sense solutions on immigration instead of cynical obstruction, ugly lies and obvious attempts to divide and distract us on issues of race and immigration.”
Background and Context
- Read the America’s Voice preview statement on the Harris Arizona trip: “VP Harris Visit to Border Is Opportunity to Present Two Contrasting Visions: Solutions vs. Division”
- Access a deeper dive on Americans’ immigration public opinion, including details on how Latino voters and a majority of battleground state voters support a balanced approach that pairs an orderly border alongside a pathway to citizenship for immigrant families.
- On the economic costs and consequences of mass deportation:
-
- New Peterson Institute analysis here on costs to America of mass deportation
-
- And, inversely, read the new Medium analysis from Michael Ettlinger, “Of Course Immigrants Bring More Jobs and Higher Pay for Americans” for an overview of the economic benefits of immigrants to America.
