Vice President Kamala Harris has faced criticism for failing to engage with U.S. Border Patrol leadership during her tenure as “border czar.” Reports revealed that Harris never spoke with either current Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens or his predecessor Raul Ortiz. Ortiz, who served from 2021 to 2023, stated on CBS’s “60 Minutes” that he had no direct communication with Harris or President Biden.
Harris was appointed to manage the administration’s response to the border crisis but has been accused of negligence. Owens, the current chief, expressed concerns over national security due to the high number of known “got-aways” — migrants who evade capture at the border. He cited the figure of 140,000 such individuals in the current fiscal year as a significant threat.
The vice president’s lack of engagement has led to bipartisan frustration, with critics pointing to her role in spreading misinformation during the 2021 Haitian migrant incident. At that time, Harris condemned border agents based on misinterpreted images, a stance that was later proven unfounded. This incident, along with her overall lack of involvement, has amplified doubts about her leadership in addressing the border crisis.
The situation at the border remains critical, with over 1.7 million “got-aways” recorded since Biden took office, a number significantly higher than the previous decade’s total. Harris’s inaction and controversial statements have further complicated the administration’s border policies, leading to calls for more direct and effective leadership in handling the ongoing issues at the southern border.