A recently unearthed video has thrust Vice President Kamala Harris into the spotlight, revealing her participation in a 2018 protest against the deportation of illegal immigrants.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, the footage shows Harris, then a senator from California, chanting "Down, down with deportation!" during a Los Angeles parade. The event, typically held to honor Martin Luther King Jr., became a platform for various political causes that day.
The video captures Harris enthusiastically joining activists in their chants, clapping her hands and smiling as she marches alongside them. Her family members, including her husband, Doug Emhoff, and his daughter, Ella Emhoff, were also present at the parade.
Notably, Harris was not alone in her protest. The footage shows her marching alongside Jussie Smollett, a former television star who later became infamous for staging a hate crime hoax. Smollett, wearing sunglasses and a "Times Up" t-shirt, can be seen holding a young girl while participating in the demonstration.
This resurfaced video stands in stark contrast to Harris's current position as Vice President, where she has pledged to secure the border. The disparity between her past actions and present stance has raised questions about her evolving views on immigration policy.
It's worth noting that Harris's support for Smollett extended beyond the parade. In January 2019, when Smollett falsely claimed he was attacked in a hate crime, Harris described the incident as an "attempted modern day lynching" on social media. Despite Smollett's conviction for staging the hoax, Harris has not deleted her supportive post.
The Biden-Harris administration's approach to immigration enforcement has differed significantly from its predecessors. Data released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) indicates a substantial decrease in the removal of criminal aliens under the current administration.
In the first three years of the Trump administration, ICE removed 485,930 illegal aliens with criminal convictions or pending criminal charges. In contrast, the Biden-Harris administration has only removed 158,931 such individuals, marking a 67 percent decline.
Harris has recently criticized former President Trump's vow to resume deportation of criminal illegal immigrants, warning of potential "mass deportation camps." She questioned the logistics of such an operation during a speech at an event hosted by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.
Vice President Harris said:
They have pledged to carry out the largest deportation, a mass deportation, in American history. How's that gonna happen, massive raids? Massive detention camps? What are they talking about?
Trump, in an interview with journalist Sharyl Attkisson, stated his intention to prioritize the deportation of criminal illegal immigrants. He emphasized the need for swift action, citing concerns about national sustainability.
Trump stated:
We are getting the criminals out and we are going to do that fast, and we know who they are. We are not a dumping ground. We are going to get all those people out and we are going to get them out fast and we have no choice, because that is not sustainable by any country.
The resurfaced video of Harris protesting deportations, her evolving stance on border security, and the contrasting approaches to immigration enforcement highlight the complex and contentious nature of this issue in American politics. As the debate continues, the video serves as a reminder of the changing positions of political figures and the ongoing challenges in addressing illegal immigration.
