Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich called on President Joe Biden to replace Vice President Kamala Harris as his “border czar” after weeks of “absolutely abysmal” leadership.
Brnovich wrote a letter to Biden on Wednesday asking him to appoint another official to lead the administration’s response to the border crisis. Harris has all but ignored the border crisis since being tasked with overseeing the administration’s response, declining to visit the border or take questions from the media on the subject.
“The crisis at our southern border has been escalating since January and is now clearly a catastrophe and tragedy in the making. Like many Americans, I was encouraged by your March 24 appointment of Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the efforts to stem the tidal wave of illegal migration into our country,” Brnovich began “However, to date, her response to the border crisis has been absolutely abysmal, so I am requesting that she be replaced as your ‘border czar.’”
“We are not nearly 50 days into her appointment, and Vice President Harris has shown little interest in observing what is happening along the border and has failed to articulate any plan to deal with the devastating effects of this crisis,” he continued. “Instead, she has traveled to other states for unrelated and less-pressing matters. Mr. President, this is a slap in the face to Arizonans who helped elect you to the highest office in the land.”
Since Biden took office in January, illegal immigrants have flooded the border seeking entrance to the United States. Early on, the Biden administration shifted the U.S. approach to illegal immigration from what was taken under former Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama, prioritizing processing and release rather than blocking illegal migrants from entering.
“The truth is that out border officials are overwhelmed, our law enforcement is understaffed, and local ranchers live in daily fear of threats from Cartel operatives. It is shameful that they are not receiving more federal support,” Brnovich said. “The latest apprehension numbers from April show that things are getting worse, and we do not yet know the full extent of dangerous people and drugs crossing into our communities.”
“Mr. President, we cannot afford another day, week, or month of apathy and inaction by any official in your administration charged with upholding our federal immigration laws and ensuring public safety. What is occurring now at the border and in our communities is reckless and dangerous – to Arizonans, to migrants, and to the security of our great nation,” he continued.
Harris has been absent from the border since being tapped to head the Biden administration response nearly two months ago. She has also failed to give an official press conference to open herself up to reporter’s questions on the topic for an extended period of time. Instead, she has asserted that to fix the border crisis, the U.S. must look past the border to the countries the migrants are fleeing.
“I conclude by respectfully requesting that Vice President Harris be replaced as America’s ‘border czar’ with a federal official who is willing to see the crisis firsthand and to work with state partners to address it,” Brnovich said. “I also request that your administration adopt new border policies that facilitate enhanced transparency with members of Congress, the media, and the American people throughout this crisis. I remain committed to working with anyone in your administration to secure the border and enforce the rule of law.”