Following the announcement that Vice President Kamala Harris the Federation and the El Paso Young Democrats released the following statement:
“While we always encourage elected leaders to visit El Paso and see this city’s beauty for themselves, we do not believe that Vice President Harris should be coming to our city at this time.
“The context of this visit is incredibly disheartening. Since President Biden and Vice President Harris took office in January, Republicans in Congress and the Texas Legislature have used the Border as a political prop, perpetrating lies about what is happening here. And, their recent repeated calls for her to visit the Border have been shrouded in anti-immigrant sentiment and misinformation. By coming to El Paso, the Vice President is giving these political talking points merit. El Paso is one of the safest cities in the nation because we are a Border city, not despite it.
“Furthermore, El Pasoans know what it’s like for their city to be used as nothing more than a photo-op. The fact remains that there are still children who have not been reunited with their families, there are still children being held in detention facilities, and there is still a continuous, unnecessary militarization in our communities. And, despite campaign promises to halt deportations, the Biden Administration continues to enforce draconian immigration policies, including explicitly asking refugees not to come here. Coming to El Paso in particular will not do anything to solve these humanitarian crises, help those on the Border, or help those wanting to come to the United States for a better life. It is our hope that the Biden Administration will continue the very real and very crucial work of addressing the needs migrants face in and near the border.
“The Border — El Paso — is not a political prop, and should not be used as one, regardless of which political party is in office.”