Largest deportation, vows Trump. Where do he, Harris stand on immigration

As the 2024 US presidential election approaches, immigration has become a hot-button issue, with Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate and current Vice-President Kamala Harris presenting different approaches. In an interaction on Tuesday with Tesla boss Elon Musk on X, Trump pledged to undertake the largest deportation of illegal immigrants in American history if elected. Harris, in her first take on the issue of immigration after being officially nominated the Democratic candidate, emphasised her commitment to "strong border security".

Trump expressed his concerns about illegal immigration, estimating that "around 50-60 million people" from regions, including Africa, Asia, and the Middle East have crossed the borders into the US.

In his conversation with Musk, which was delayed by over 40 minutes due to technical difficulties, Trump, 78, recounted the recent assassination attempt on him in Pennsylvania, where his life was saved while he was showing a chart of illegal immigrants, and reiterated his plan for mass deportation.

"We will undertake the largest deportation effort ever seen in this country," Trump declared. "Our goal is to restore order and ensure that our immigration laws are enforced to the fullest extent."

Trump argued that strict enforcement of immigration laws is essential for national security and economic stability.

"We need to take decisive action to protect our borders and our citizens," he said, framing the deportation plan as necessary to address what he perceives as a growing crisis.

TRUMP CRITICISES KAMALA HARRIS ON IMMIGRATION

Furthermore, Trump described Biden's exit from the presidential race on July 21 as a "coup" by Democrats.

This came after Biden's poor performance in the first presidential debate on June 27 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Following his withdrawal, Biden endorsed Kamala Harris, 59, who is now the Democratic presidential candidate running against Trump.

Their debate is scheduled for September.

Trump took the opportunity to attack Vice-President Kamala Harris, labelling her as "fake" and holding her responsible for the increase in illegal immigration.

"The number of illegals Kamala has welcomed into our communities is much bigger than we think," he stated, accusing her of allowing criminals to enter the country.

HARRIS'S COMMITMENT TO BORDER SECURITY

Conversely, Vice-President Kamala Harris has vowed to fight for "strong border security" and criticised Trump for thwarting immigration legislation that would have restricted asylum.

She promised to sign such a bill into law if elected.

"I was attorney general of a border state. I went after the transnational gangs, the drug cartels, and the human traffickers. I prosecuted them in case after case and I won, so I know what I’m talking about," Harris said, reported Politico.

Addressing more than 15,000 supporters at the Desert Diamond Arena, Harris blamed Trump for Congress's failure to pass a bipartisan border deal earlier this year.

"He talks a big game about border security but he does not walk the walk," she told the crowd in Arizona on Friday. That was her first remarks on the issue of immigration after being officially picked as the Democratic Party's Presidential candidate.

Harris continued, "We know our immigration system is broken, and we know what it takes to fix it: comprehensive reform that includes strong border security and an earned pathway to citizenship," Politico reported her as saying.

Harris' campaign has been proactive in addressing immigration and border security, traditionally a challenging issue for Democrats.

BIDEN'S 'BORDER CZAR': REPUBLICANS TARGET HARRIS

Republican ads have linked Harris to the record migrant surges earlier in the Biden administration, dubbing her President Joe Biden’s "border czar", despite her narrower role focused on addressing the root causes of migration from Central American countries.

Although Democrats have typically avoided the immigration debate, Harris’ campaign has adopted a tougher stance, portraying her as consistently strong on border issues throughout her career.

Her remarks on Friday aligned with a new campaign ad emphasising a tough-on-immigration message.

"As vice president, she backed the toughest border control bill in decades. And as president, she will hire thousands more border agents and crack down on fentanyl and human trafficking. Fixing the border is tough. So is Kamala Harris," the ad said, reported Politico.

Earlier this year, Democrats attempted to take a centrist approach on immigration, referencing the failed bipartisan border security effort in the Senate.

However, Harris' current position aligns closely with the administration's stance.

In the past, Harris joined other 2020 Democratic hopefuls in suggesting that unauthorised entry into the country should not be a criminal offence.

Now, her campaign asserts that her position is "the same as the administration’s -- unauthorised border crossings are illegal".

As the 2024 election nears, both candidates have clearly outlined their immigration policies, setting the stage for a significant debate on addressing one of the nation's most pressing issues.