The border and immigration are issues weighing heavily on the minds of voters. At Tuesday's presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris ought to approach this issue more shrewdly, playing to her party's strengths and framing it in a way that paints former President Donald Trump's views on immigrants as the deterioration of truly American ideals.
Trump said in December, "Illegal immigration is poisoning the blood of our nation." With such openly bigoted language, Trump has brought nakedly authoritarian impulses into the heart of the country, poisoning the Enlightenment values that make America the beacon of democracy. It was during the Trump administration that everyday people witnessed migrant children being locked up in abhorrent detention facilities.
Harris and Democrats are often playing defense to Republican attacks on immigration and border security. But they can and should make the case to voters that supporting America's legacy of welcoming immigrants is the patriotic thing to do.
This is a preview of Nicholas Sheppard's latest article. Read the full column here. |
