Kamala Harris's Evolving Stance on Border Wall Sparks Criticism

Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris is facing accusations of pandering for changing her messaging on the border wall ahead of the presidential election, with a New Mexico rancher questioning why the Biden-Harris administration refused to continue construction of the barrier.

Vice President Kamala Harris is facing criticism for changing her messaging on the border wall ahead of the presidential election, with a New Mexico rancher accusing her of pandering for votes.

Harris has pledged to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the wall along the southern border if she is elected president, according to Axios. This is a reversal of her previous stance, in which she has spoken out against the barrier.

Kamala Harris's Evolving Stance on Border Wall Sparks Criticism

New Mexico rancher Russell Johnson questioned why construction of the border wall has not continued under the Biden-Harris administration despite Harris's recent claims. He said materials for the border barrier have been sitting unused near his property since the Biden administration began.

"This administration has been in charge for the past three and a half years, and this material's been there for more than four years. Why haven't they installed it?" Johnson said. "She's absolutely pandering for votes. She's been the border czar for the past three and a half years, and we've seen no action on the border, other than this administration stopping any kind of progress that's actually going to bring some safety and security to this nation."

Kamala Harris's Evolving Stance on Border Wall Sparks Criticism

Johnson's comments come as Harris has changed her previous tone on the border wall. At the Democratic National Convention, Harris said she would sign the bipartisan Senate border bill that former President Donald Trump did not support. The bill would require hundreds of millions of unspent funds to be used on the border wall.

However, according to Harris's advisers, the bill does not provide additional funding for the border wall. Trump and several Republicans slammed the bill for a provision that includes shutting down the border only when 5,000 illegal immigrants a day cross the border, as well as the billions of dollars of spending attached that goes to Ukraine and Israel.

Kamala Harris's Evolving Stance on Border Wall Sparks Criticism

Harris has previously called Trump's border wall "a medieval vanity project" and argued that it will not make the country safer.

Nearly 9 in 10 voters say the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border is an emergency (44%) or a major problem (43%). That's an increase since February, when about 8 in 10 felt it was an emergency (41%) or a major problem (37%), according to the latest Fox News national survey.

The Biden administration has been criticized for its handling of the border, with Republicans accusing the administration of creating a crisis by rolling back Trump-era policies. The administration has defended its approach, saying it is focused on addressing the root causes of migration and creating a more humane and orderly immigration system.

The issue of border security is likely to be a major focus of the 2020 presidential campaign, with both Trump and Harris likely to use it to attack each other.