Kamala Harris Discusses Her Approach to Immigration

Vice President Kamala Harris said her approach to the immigration surge at the southern U.S. border was based on the perspective that "most people don't want to leave home" in an interview with CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday. Harris was called upon by President Joe Biden to address the surge of migrants at the border. The vice president framed the surge as a long-term issue rooted in the migrants’ home countries, saying most migrants are either "fleeing some harm or they cannot stay and satisfy the basic necessities of life." Harris said she will call on United Nations allies for help at the southern border, and will meet with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López in upcoming weeks. Harris has met with several members of Biden's Cabinet to discuss efforts, and has been working with U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, to bring in international resources to help at the border. Harris has not yet visited the southern border, but reportedly plans to travel to Central America in June. In the interview, the vice president also discussed her relationship with Biden and criminal justice legislation. Coverage from the left tended to focus on Harris' comments about the root causes of the border situation; some left-rated outlets also claimed that Republicans are using Harris' border assignment to frame Harris as the problem. Some on the right, including Senator Ted Cruz, criticized Harris for not yet visiting the border, and for her past comments regarding former President Donald Trump's handling of the border.