On a recent broadcast of CNN’s The Lead, Priscilla Alvarez, a CNN White House Correspondent, noted a significant shift in Democrats’ stance on the U.S.-Mexico border. She explained that over the past three years, crises at the southern border, combined with migrants being sent to cities led by Democratic mayors, have caused Democrats across the country to raise concerns about how these issues are affecting their communities.
According to Alvarez, the Democratic Party has undergone a clear transformation since President Joe Biden took office. Initially, border policy was handled differently, but the growing number of migrants entering the U.S. and the impact on Democratic-led cities pushed many party members to rethink their approach. Alvarez added that Vice President Kamala Harris has recently been adopting a tougher position on border security, likely in response to polling data that often shows former President Donald Trump as the candidate voters trust most on immigration.
CNN host Jake Tapper asked Alvarez if Harris had addressed why her views on the border issue have changed since 2019. In response, Alvarez said that Harris has tended to focus on the Biden administration’s overall border efforts, but she emphasized the need to look at the broader evolution within the Democratic Party. The crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, along with migrants being sent to Democratic-run cities, has become a turning point for many Democratic officials who are now more vocal about the need for stricter border management.
The shift reflects a growing recognition within the party that the situation at the border is no longer just a distant issue — it is now impacting major cities across the country, creating challenges that Democrats can no longer ignore.
