Vice President Kamala Harris, appointed as the “border czar,” has come under scrutiny for not communicating with U.S. Border Patrol chiefs during her tenure. Neither current Chief Jason Owens nor his predecessor Raul Ortiz had any conversations with Harris about the border crisis. Ortiz, who led the agency from 2021 to 2023, highlighted this communication gap on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” noting he had no direct contact with Harris or President Biden.
Harris was tasked with addressing the surge of migrants at the southern border, a crisis that has intensified under the Biden administration. However, her lack of engagement with key border officials raises questions about her commitment to the role. Owens expressed grave concerns over the national security threat posed by the large number of “got-aways,” undocumented migrants who evade capture. This year alone, 140,000 such individuals have entered the U.S., exacerbating the border security dilemma.
Harris’s tenure has been marred by her involvement in spreading the false narrative of border agents “whipping” Haitian migrants in 2021. This misinformation, later debunked, damaged the reputation of border enforcement and reflected poorly on her leadership. Despite the severity of the border situation, Harris has not taken significant steps to engage with the officials on the ground.
The border crisis continues to escalate, with more than 1.7 million “got-aways” recorded since President Biden took office. This number surpasses the total for the entire previous decade, highlighting the urgent need for effective leadership and communication. Harris’s approach has faced bipartisan criticism, with calls for a more hands-on strategy to manage the border effectively.
