CNN’s Abby Phillip said on Monday that Kamala Harris’ campaign has realized she can’t “float above” the immigration debate anymore.
Harris plans to visit the U.S. southern border in Arizona on Friday. It’s her first border visit since becoming the Democratic nominee. The New York Times reports she’s trying to “counter” Trump’s advantage on immigration with voters.
“She wants to change the idea that she’s soft on immigration,” Phillip said during a panel on Wednesday.
Polls show voters trust Trump more on border security. Phillip cited an NBC News poll that has Harris trailing Trump by 21 points on this issue.
Republicans have been critical of Harris, pointing to her previous support for liberal immigration policies as a senator and in her 2019 campaign.
CNN’s Scott Jennings argued that her visit won’t change voters’ views. He said, “Her stance on immigration is clear,” mentioning a 2018 video of Harris chanting against deportation.
“Going to the border won’t change minds… people don’t trust Democrats on immigration,” Jennings added.
Bakari Sellers, another CNN commentator, said Harris wants action but Republicans have blocked her. He mentioned the border bill Republicans killed, which Harris had supported.
Phillip wrapped up, noting Harris could no longer dodge the immigration issue. “This visit shows they know they have to act.”
Harris once backed decriminalizing illegal border crossings but has shifted to a more “pragmatic” approach since becoming the nominee.
Her campaign insists her stance aligns with Biden’s—illegal crossings are still illegal. They contrast her with Trump, saying she’s focused on consensus-building, not extreme policies.