Yesterday, Senator Kamala Harris spoke with Chris Hayes about the resignation of the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen. The Trump administration’s policies towards immigration is an issue that Harris has had an interest in for a long time. In fact, Harris was the first senator to ask for Nielsen’s resignation as the head of Homeland Security back in June of 2018. She has not only spoken out against the despicable policy of tearing children from parents at the border, but also about DHS’s inadequate and cruel response to the hurricane disaster in Puerto Rico and the terrible policy that makes it easier to detain pregnant women at the border.
In her interview, Harris points out that, while she’s happy that Nielsen is gone, the policies being followed are indicative of the entire Trump administration’s views, and do not reflect just one person’s beliefs.
She also points out that the Trump administration’s act of pulling aid to the Northern Triangle Countries will only make immigration worse. When aid meant to help grow economies and cut down on corruption is no longer available, the situations of the people living in these countries will only get worse. Harris talks about how people are fleeing greater harm in their native country than the US border presents. (In my opinion, this should be obvious; when it’s a choice between starving or being murdered and leaving, people will leave.)
Harris says we need to return the aid to the northern triangle countries, to “reduce the reason they [the citizens of these countries] have to flee”, and create a “robust approach to processing asylum claims”. She rightly points out this is a humanitarian problem and it needs a humanitarian response, not the Trump administration’s “very punitive approach to people who are vulnerable and seeking help.”
As Harris says, “Cruelty is not a substitute for a smart, lawful, and humane immigration policy.” We need a president with vision and leadership where immigration is concerned, someone who doesn’t think outdoing themselves on the heartlessness scale is the proper approach to dealing with desperate people.
Donate to her campaign here! There’s a red banner on her site saying that “Kamala refuses to accept donations from corporate PACs!” So it’s up to us to help her get elected!
Please view the entire interview between Harris and Hayes below.