On Monday, October 7, 2024, CBS News’ Bill Whitaker interviewed Vice President Kamala Harris on “60 Minutes,” probing her on the Biden administration’s inconsistent border policies. He questioned why the initial lenient stance on immigration was later replaced by stricter measures.
Whitaker highlighted the impact of the recent strict measures on asylum seekers, which led to a substantial drop in border crossings. He queried Harris on the timing of these measures, asking, “If that’s the right answer now, why didn’t your administration take those steps in 2021?”
Harris defended the administration’s approach, explaining that they initially sought to tackle immigration issues through legislative reform. Their initial proposal to Congress aimed at overhauling the flawed immigration system, in the belief that lasting solutions would require congressional action. However, Congress did not consider the bill.
Undeterred, Whitaker pointed out the historic increase in undocumented immigrants crossing the border during the first three years of the Biden administration. While recognizing that the issue was not born under the current administration, he noted the unprecedented surge in crossings during their tenure.
Harris responded to Whitaker’s critique of her role in managing the border crisis, citing her support for a bipartisan border security bill proposed in the Senate. However, she blamed its failure on former President Donald Trump. Harris stated, “Donald Trump got word that this bill was afoot and could be passed, and he wants to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem. So he told his buddies in Congress, ‘Kill the bill, don’t let it move forward.’”
“It’s a long-standing problem, and solutions are at hand, and from day one, literally, we have been offering solutions,” Harris continued in her defense.
When Whitaker asked about the historically high number of illegal crossings and the potential for earlier intervention, Harris deflected the question. Instead, she emphasized recent measures that resulted in a notable decrease in border crossings and stressed the need for Congress to take action.
On the topic of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Harris took a jab at Trump, claiming that if he were president, “Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now,” referring to Ukraine’s capital.
