Fox News reported that Vice President Kamala Harris has drawn significant criticism for equating certain Homeland Security agencies to the Ku Klux Klan and endorsing a debunked narrative about Border Patrol agents allegedly whipping migrants.
In November 2018, then-Senator Harris confronted Ronald Vitiello, President Trump’s nominee for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, during a Senate hearing. Her statements have caused outrage among Homeland Security personnel and Republican lawmakers.
She questioned him about possible similarities between ICE and the KKK, citing a 2015 tweet where Vitiello had likened the Democratic Party to a "neo-Klanist" group. Vitiello expressed regret for his tweet.
Harris asked Vitiello about the perception that ICE uses its power to instill fear and intimidation, especially among Mexican and Central American communities. "Are you aware of the perception of many about how the power and discretion at ICE is being used to enforce the laws and do you see any parallels?" Harris questioned. Vitiello responded, "I do not see any parallels."
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel accused Harris of exploiting the comparison for political gain. "Kamala Harris is trying to launch her 2020 campaign off of comparing ICE officers to the KKK, and it's absolutely disgusting," McDaniel tweeted.
In 2021, during a surge of Haitian migrants in Del Rio, Texas, Harris commented on images of Border Patrol agents on horseback allegedly whipping migrants. She expressed her support for an investigation, stating, "What I saw depicted about those individuals on horseback treating human beings the way they were was horrible."
Harris was "deeply troubled" by the images, comparing the treatment of the migrants to historic abuses against Indigenous and African American people during slavery. "It also invoked images of some of the worst moments of our history," she remarked.
However, a subsequent investigation revealed no evidence of agents whipping migrants, though minor infractions by the agents were noted. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas clarified, "Let me just correct you right there because actually the investigation concluded that the whipping did not occur."
Harris' comments caused a stir among Border Patrol agents who felt misunderstood. An anonymous agent voiced their frustration, saying, "Again, it is clear that those in charge, a term that is disgusting to use, have no clue about our operations and frankly operate by ignorance and unhinged emotions."
Despite the investigation's findings, Harris has not retracted her statements about the incident. She has also not responded to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Ronald Vitiello, who served as the acting ICE director, did not share Harris' view of the agency. During the 2018 hearing, he acknowledged the agency's controversial perception but rejected any comparison to the KKK. "I do not see any parallels," he firmly stated.
Harris questioned the agency's use of power, suggesting it invoked fear, especially in Mexican and Central American communities. She pressed Vitiello, "Sir, how can you be the head of an agency and be unaware of how your agency is perceived by certain communities?"
Vice President Kamala Harris has faced criticism for her controversial comparisons of ICE to the KKK and for supporting a narrative about Border Patrol agents whipping migrants that was later discredited. Her remarks have sparked outrage among Homeland Security personnel and Republicans, emphasizing the ongoing political divide over immigration policies in the U.S. Despite the backlash, Harris has not retracted her statements, positioning immigration as a potential focal point in her political future.
