Vice President Kamala Harris did not receive the warm reception she was most likely expecting when she finally visited the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday.
Protesters, many of them Hispanic, lined the streets of El Paso, Texas, waving flags supporting former President Donald Trump as Harris’ motorcade drove by.
“Go home Kamala” and “Viva Trump!” were some of the chants uttered by protesters that could be heard over whistling.
VP Harris has arrived. Not the welcome I think she was expecting. “Que-Mala! we don’t want you here!” were some of the chants by this Hispanic/Latino organized group. pic.twitter.com/ZbG8UFozj7
— Informed with Anthony (@InformedAnthony) June 25, 2021
Former congressional candidate Irene Armendariz-Jackson joined the protesters with a message for Harris.
“Kamala, you came a little too late. We have had this crisis for years,” she told Informed with Anthony.
“We need solutions, we don’t need you parading in the Border Patrol station or acting like you care.”
She added, “Americans matter, America matters. God bless you, America.”
WARNING: The following video contains images of vulgar language that some readers may find offensive:
Protestors outside Border Patrol station awaiting VP Kamala Harris. @ArmendarizDis16 @ElAmerican_ pic.twitter.com/mTLLRhTL4V
— Informed with Anthony (@InformedAnthony) June 25, 2021
Harris was accompanied by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on her first trip to the border since assuming office.
Harris was tasked by President Joe Biden more than three months ago to lead the nation’s response to the “root causes” of the immigration surge, but failed to visit the border until now.
She was set to visit a processing center and Border Patrol facility in El Paso to receive an operational briefing, according to Fox News.
When asked by Fox News reporter Peter Doocy why it took so long for her to make her first trip to the border, she responded that it wasn’t her first trip.
“I’ve been to the border many times,” the California Democrat said, possibly referring to past visits she made as a senator. “Because as I’ve long said, I said back in March I was going to come to the border so this is not a new plan, but the reality of it is we have to deal with the causes and we have to deal with the effects.”
Harris has been criticized by both Democrats and Republicans for failing to visit the border. Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cueller said that while visiting El Paso was a good “first step,” it wouldn’t give the vice president the full picture of the situation at the border.
[firefly_poll]
“If you look at the numbers that are down there compared to El Paso, you are not going to get a true picture of what’s happening,” he said, according to CNS News.
“You go to the Donna facility, you go to Roma, Texas, you go to Rio Grande City, you go to the McAllen area so you can get an idea. That’s how you can get an idea of what’s happening down at the border. So it’s a first step.”
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This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.